《Daybreak》


 Song of the Great god of the forest, Bylyl

    By¡¯lyl the tyrant born of sun and sea,


    Crushed his foes and cried up a storm.


    By¡¯lyl the wicked monarchy,


    T¡¯was the reason the people croaked.


    By¡¯lyl the god, the people would plea,


    Please halt the fatal, deadly blows.


    By¡¯lyl the sly agreed happily,


    Only to ask each season for some meat.


    By¡¯lyl the hungry spoke each word,


    A man in the summer, ox in the fall¨C


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    By¡¯lyl the greedy continued,


    A lady in the winter and a babe in the spring¨C


    By¡¯lyl the demon the people feared,


    So yes of course, the compromise was heard.


    By¡¯lyl the first was a winner for sure,


    Then a boy came, the first to be murdered¨C


    By¡¯lyl the beast licked his lips,


    But the boy cried ¡°wait!¡± He wished for sight.


    By¡¯lyl the generous agreed for some glow,


    The boy lit a match, but he wanted more.


    By¡¯lyl the proud could be patient,


    The boy held a torch and opted for a delay¨C


    By¡¯lyl the tall understood,


    He let the boy light up more wood.


    By¡¯lyl the shrewd mockingly stood,


    Yet the boy shook his head, his greatness not understood.


    By¡¯lyl the tempest gave one more try,


    So the boy waved a branch and the forest went alight!


    By¡¯lyl the forest now cried aflame,


    The child shrugged.


    He said, ¡°Now I see that you¡¯re not so great.¡±

 Prelude

    By¡¯lyl takes children who don¡¯t behave.


    That is what parents say to their children when they snuck much too-many sweets into their mouths or played too-many naughty tricks.


    It¡¯s what the adults say when children run too far and parents aren¡¯t ready to let go.


    But sometimes the monsters of this world do not instill fear within a child.


    For the curious, it takes a story.


    Every child hears it differently. However, stories are essentially all the same; there is the good, and then there is the bad.


    A little girl sat next to her sister, legs tucked beneath her and arms folded respectfully. A priest sits with his legs crossed in front of them. A bowl of tea leaves, a kettle, and a bamboo ladle sat comfortably between the small group. Tea is made and the girls each take a ladle; pour the tea in a bowl. The priest takes the sister¡¯s bowl and rests it on his lips. Smiles. Then he picks up the one belonging to the little girl, looking down at her as he takes a sip. A pause.


    The room is bare lest for the two girls, the tea, and the priest, although the shrine maidens of the Temple of the Crane walked the perimeter and could hear all that goes in the room through the thin walls. The two children did not belong to the temple, but took to waiting there as they had no nanny at home while their mother attended parties. The father is at work as most fathers claim to be.


    The priest puts down the bowl. He does not get up.


    The little girl knows what this means. So does her sister and the shrine maidens of the temple working around the outer grounds. Some pause and sneak a peek through the wide-open paper doors.


    Sisters of the Temple of the Crane did not hit or berate each other. They told each other stories in the guise of accusations. Or one story in particular, a story the little girl and her sister knew, but continued to listen to day in and day out.


    Once upon a time¡­


    All stories started this way. As if it would end in happiness. The people of the west made sure all their stories started with ¡°Once upon a time¡± and ended with ¡°Happily Ever After¡± through their collection of Contes de Blanc. The east was not so soft.


    Because each tale was a lesson. Each tale was a life.


    Once upon a time, there ruled a hungry forest over a small, forgotten village in a small, forgotten kingdom. The forest¡¯s name was By¡¯lyl, because it terrorized the village like an ill tempered tyrant and would eat the villagers livestock. When the village priest pleaded with By¡¯lyl for mercy and kindness on them, the forest stopped its misdeeds only to begin eating the villagers. The priest pleaded once more so that the forest would spare the poor village. However, the forest was no good and only had trickery and evil in its heart. By¡¯lyl was born from sin, and so it was sin itself. So then the evil forest prompted a deal: The forest will no longer take the villagers or their livestock on its own regard. However, the villagers must sacrifice one of the following to By¡¯lyl each season; a man in the summer, a cow in autumn, a woman in the winter and a child in the spring.


    So the promise was made, and the forest smirked at its own cleverness while the priest slinked back home with the heavy burden of preparing the sacrifice of the season. It was the end of winter and near the brink of spring, so the forest gave the priest three days to bring a child into its mouth.


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    The first day, the priest fell ill with worry and locked himself in his room to meditate and pray to the H¡¯yerr. Unbeknownst to him however, time with the H¡¯yeer and time in the real world moves differently, and when the priest emerged from his room, it was already nearing the end of the third day. The priest nearly collapsed with that realization, for now he was out of time and had no child with him that he could sacrifice.


    That is when the priest¡¯s adopted son approaches him and offers to sacrifice himself. The boy was not only brave, but curious with a keen intellect. He had followed the priest with each of his visits to By¡¯lyl and knew what the forest had expected of him. The priest felt sorry for his son and himself who would soon lose him, but knew through the reflection in the boy¡¯s eyes that this was the will of the  H¡¯yerr. Such a sacrifice would have to be made to keep the village safe until the next season, so the priest fed his son one last meal and sent him on his way.


    The boy had not yet reached the forest when he could hear the forest¡¯s evil laughter and pull, for By¡¯lyl knew that the boy would be its next meal. At the forest¡¯s dark mouth, the boy halted and looked up at the looming trees. The forest¡¯s dark power was already dragging the boy¡¯s feet into its darkness, but the boy who was brave held up an arm and called out into the dark.


    ¡°Wait! Should I not be able to shine light upon the mighty forest who has invited me tonight?¡±


    The trees of By¡¯lyl bristled with confusion, then trembled soon after with laughter at realizing the implication of the boy¡¯s words. The forest grew to think that the boy was naive and did not know his fate as the forest¡¯s next meal. So the forest permitted the boy to light a match so that the glow may let him see the forest¡¯s might.


    ¡°Now do you see this, child, how great I am?¡± asked By¡¯lyl.


    The boy paused, then said, ¡°I do not know, for all I see is the bark of a single tree. May I spread light to a humble stick so that I may see your true greatness?¡± So with the forest¡¯s permission, the boy struck his match onto a fallen stick.


    ¡°Now do you see this, child, how great I am?¡± behested By¡¯lyl.


    The boy paused, then said, ¡°I do not know, for all I see is a single tree. May I spread light to a humble branch so that I may see your true greatness?¡± So with the forest¡¯s permission, the boy struck his fire-lit stick onto a fallen branch.


    ¡°Now do you see this, child, how great I am?¡± demanded By¡¯lyl.


    The boy paused, then said, ¡°I do not know, for all I see is a cluster of trees. May I spread light within your forest so that I may see your true greatness?¡±


    This made the forest¡¯s evil grin grow wider, for now the boy was unknowingly asking to enter its mouth, so with the forest¡¯s permission, the boy entered the mouth of the forest carrying the branch encased with flames.


    ¡°Now do you see this, child, how great I am?¡±  spoke By¡¯lyl. Now that the boy was in its mouth, the voice of the forest echoed around him.


    This time, the boy did not pause.


    ¡°Not yet!¡± he chirped, and swung his branch of flames in a high arch. Light caught onto the surrounding trees so that the heart of the forest was illuminated in the fire-light. Sparks flew and the forest caught fire.


    The boy discarded the branch and stepped out of the forest. ¡°Now I see, By¡¯lyl, you are like any other forest.¡± said the boy. Then he walked away from the forest¡¯s screams.


    The story is always told in this way; the village safe once more and the forest left to its horrible fate. Evil had perished once more. But when the little girl looked at the priest, and then her sister¡¯s face, she knew what this was all about. The priest who had told this story confirmed the little girl¡¯s thoughts with a single sentence.


    Do it right this time, or you will burn too.

 One - Ai

    Ai had anticipated every possible obstacle and solution that may arise on the day of her fourteenth birthday. Every possible obstacle, except for the rain.


    It was always the weather that had to ruin the most perfect of moments, and her fourteenth birthday was supposed to be perfect. Now, instead of a picnic by the beautiful alcove of a glass courtroom fit for princesses, Ai sat on a cushion in her parents living room with six other girls whose dark eyes blinked back at her.


    The number of girls attending would have been sixteen if not for the rain which brought muddy roads and humid air. The only reason six other girls now occupied this living space was because they had been in the Torizora Estate since the day before for an exclusive party for Ai¡¯s closest friends. Today¡¯s party was supposed to be for everyone else and for Ai, to feed her  hunger for showing off the Torizora Family¡¯s wealth.


    Ai looked out the windows for that glimpse of sunlight, but the wooden shutters covering each window didn¡¯t even reflect Ai¡¯s pretty reflection. The young girl had pulled back her long, black hair with a summer ornament and her eye-lids and cheeks were painted with color. She had even worn her new pink kimono patterned with butterflies, but she could show this off to no one but the same, six friends. The sound of rain continued to pound against the dark windows uninvitingly.


    For good reason, Ai wondered  as she had many times before, why summer was even a season in the first place. Popularily in prose and haiku, summer is a season of sunshine and warmth, but here in the east, all Ai had experienced was the humid rain that made her armpits damp and thick hair, frizzy. Ai blamed her mother for not hastening her birth to be two seasons early or not waiting two seasons later to give birth to her. She wished to have been born in the winter when snow fell prettily like tiny crystals.


    ¡°Anyone want to play Ayatori?¡± Mako, whose round face was framed by a short bob, broke the coven of silence first as she stuck her hand into the right sleeve of her kimono and pulled out a red string of yarn tied in a loop.


    ¡°Ayatori, again?¡± complained Ri in her yellow kimono, who mirrored the bored expression of everyone else in the room including Mako, who had suggested the play. The girls had already played through numerous rounds of the game of strings where different patterns and formations can be made by looping them around a player''s fingers and passing the string around in a kept formation which is altered when each new player takes it into their hands. Whoever broke the formation, lost.


    ¡°Don¡¯t complain when you haven¡¯t even won once.¡± Nana laughed dryly, fixing the pink bow that tied her dark hair behind her back. But that was a lie because Ai remembered Ri had won twice, which said a lot about how many times the group had already played the game.


    Sakura twirled a brown curl of hair around her finger. ¡°How about we all just talk?¡±


    Nana nodded in agreement. ¡°What gossip isn¡¯t there to tell?¡± she said, but her tone was unconvincingly dry.


    ¡°There would be more if not for the rain¡­¡± Ai mumbled under her breath so that no one could hear.


    A girl clapped her palms together. ¡°Ohajiki!¡± Mako exclaims in an attempt to lift everyone¡¯s spirits. She nudges the quiet girl next to her. ¡°Didn¡¯t Momo bring the stones her father picked for her while overseas? We can play Ohajiki using those!¡± Mako¡¯s last sentence was directed towards Momo, who had been sitting on her cushion like a stiff kokeshi doll.


    ¡°Oh. Oh!¡± Momo seemed to be coming back to life as she reached into the sleeve of her own pink kimono and produced a small, heavy-looking bag no bigger than her palm.


    ¡°Oh goodie, something new to do!¡± Kaori, who had also been sitting blankly on her cushion, finally sprung to life. Mako slapped her lightly on the knee to force Kaori back down.


    Mako gave her best smile towards her disheartened friend. ¡°Ai, which do you want to play? Ayatori or Ohajiki?¡±


    Ai couldn¡¯t care less, but she beamed at Mako as if there was no wrong in the world. The party was lame, but it would only be lamer if the hostess believed it too. Ai reassured herself that she could just host another party in the winter.


    ¡°So, Ayatori or Ohajiki, right?¡± repeated Ai.


    Mako began to put away the red string as if the answer to that question was already obvious, but before Ai had come to a conclusion, the sliding paper door to the room threw open and a figure tumbled through the doorway and landed unforgivingly on the wooden floor.


    Excitement buzzed through the room as the guests looked at what disrupted the social gathering. Ai realized she had other things besides the rain to worry about.


    Once the fallen figure righted their head straight and pulled themselves up to their knees, Ai pointed back where they came from, ¡°Out.¡±


    It was an order.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± the other person was a girl too, around the same age as everyone else in the room. But her hair wasn¡¯t made up with a pretty comb and the pattern on her blue kimono had already faded to a dull echo of what might have been sakura petals. However, although the girl looked like a beggar, the most striking features of the stranger was her hair that shone white as snow beneath the grime and hazel eyes that looked yellow. The guests stared at the creature with newfound alertness.


    The girl with the albino hair struggled up on wobbling, bare feet. ¡°I thought everyone had already left.¡±


    ¡°I said, out,¡± Ai repeated.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think everyone would still be here with all this rain.¡± The girl avoided Ai¡¯s gaze and shuffled closer to the door.


    Ai peeked at her friends and saw the faces of open curiosity.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Kaori asked, her eyes glued on the white-haired stranger.


    Ai stepped in front of the intruder, arms out to obstruct her guests¡¯ view. Her eyes pierced accusingly at Kaori who had chosen to speak first.


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    ¡°No one.¡± Ai¡¯s voice came out in a squeak. She grit her teeth. ¡°This is no one.¡± Her voice was forceful the second time.


    ¡°But who is she exactly?¡± Mako asked. Now everyone wanted to know the truth.


    Ai''s heart thumped like a frightened bunny. ¡°I already told you, it''s no one,¡± Ai pushed the disheveled girl into the hallway without looking at her. ¡°Just a maid.¡±


    ¡°But all your maids wear uniforms,¡± curly haired Sakura points out.


    ¡°She¡¯s new,¡± Ai forced a smile and shrugged. ¡°She must be lost.¡±


    Six curious heads faced her, crowding in like a dark semi-circle. Twelve eyes blinked.


    The girl with the white hair peeked out from around Ai and locked yellow eyes with one of the girls.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Hakusei!¡± Kaori gasped loudly as she now recognized the creature.


    ¡°The Hakusei?¡± repeated the other girls. Some stumbled back in surprise while others pushed against Ai to look closer.


    The Hakusei referred to the fairy tale spread around Hikizu village. Hakusei, in the language of the people of the Kuroba empire, meant ¡°white fairy¡± and referred to an albino fairy who spread good fortune. While children believed the Hakusei to be real, adults had little faith. For young teenagers, interests lied in balancing the myths with the truth, so the dark eyes of the girls glimmered with newfound excitement.


    Ai shook her head in protest. ¡°No.¡±


    Momo looked at Nana who stood next to her. ¡°I thought the witch belonged to the Temple of the Crane.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my mom told me that the Hakusei would pop if her powers weren¡¯t supervised by the Hy¡¯err.¡± Nana spoke, referring to the god of the common religion.


    ¡°So then why is she here?¡± Mako wondered out loud.


    Ai found it hard to breathe as eyes looked at her for answers. Ai had none to give. At least none that didn¡¯t speak the truth.


    Ai had no one on her side now. Her parents were out on a date and would be stuck wherever they were until the storm was over. And the servants of the estate didn¡¯t know the family secret. So her friends should also never know.


    There was no time to think. Ai had to decide, so she chose herself.


    ¡°Surprise!¡± Ai laughed and stepped to the side so that the Hakusei in her bedraggled kimono was exposed to all. ¡°This is a special birthday delivery from my father,¡± Ai explained. She purposefully avoided meeting eyes with the albino.


    ¡°If she¡¯s good luck, why¡¯s it still raining?¡± Ri wondered out loud.


    Kaori beamed and wrapped a fist around the Hakusei¡¯s pale wrist. ¡°I heard that if you stick a lit matchstick under the fairy¡¯s thumb, good fortune would be immediate.¡±


    Ai laughed forcefully. ¡°Then too bad we don¡¯t have any matchsticks.¡± But to Ai¡¯s horror, Moko had done the work, finding a packet of the flammable sticks in Ri¡¯s kimono sleeve.


    ¡°Hey, wait a minute-¡± Ai protested as Moko lit a matchstick. Ai¡¯s own brown eyes locked eyes with the Hakusei¡¯s as the girl was wrenched back into the room and placed before the matchstick.


    The Hakusei¡¯s face was turned towards Ai with wide eyes. ¡°Ai?¡± she reached towards the birthday girl, but was pressed down by the other girls.


    The group giggled. ¡°This is much more fun than Ohajiki!¡± clapped Ri. Kaori took the lit flame from Mako and approached the Hakusei. The girl flinched as the matchstick was brought to hover beneath the girl¡¯s outstretched palm. The flame flickered in the lamplight, then seemed to jump as a spark made contact and the Hakusei¡¯s entire hand burst aflame.


    The girl dropped into a tucked position, sandwiching her burning hand between her belly and knees. But the act was in vain because the flaming hand had surprised Kaori, startling the girl into dropping her stick. Now the bamboo floor curled with hot, orange fire.


    ¡°Oh my freaking Hy¡¯err!¡± screamed Sakura as the flames spread.


    ¡°How¡¯d that even happen?¡± Ri whispered, not believing her eyes.


    Kaori backed against the wall. ¡°She¡¯s cursed!¡± she cried.


    ¡°Oh my freaking Hy¡¯err!¡± Sakura cried again.


    ¡°What!?¡± Mako shrieked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kaori warbled onwards. Her eyes didn¡¯t leave the Hakusei¡¯s curled form as she spoke. ¡°She¡¯s cursed.¡±


    Nana shook her head with disbelief. ¡°Kaori, you don¡¯t make any sense!¡±


    ¡°Oh my freaking Hy¡¯err¡­¡± Sakura whimpered, her eyes stuck on the rising flames.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Kaori cried. ¡°The Hy¡¯err cursed her for leaving the Temple of the Crane!¡± Kaori gestured wildly at the albino. ¡°Look at her burn! She¡¯s no fairy, she¡¯s a witch!¡±


    The girls frantically backed up to corners of the room away from the towering flames and the Hakusei who remained curled up on the floor with her face in her knees.


    ¡°Worst birthday party ever!¡± Ri cried.


    Ai grabbed an untouched cushion and beat at the flames. ¡°Mom! Dad!¡± she cried, but to no avail because her parents weren¡¯t home. Now Ai blamed her parents who trusted their daughter to run her party on her own. In the panic, Ai tumbled towards the Hakusei through the blurry fog of smoke. ¡°Do something!¡± Ai cried. The windows rattled as the other girls slid the wooden boards of the windows and drew it open. The rain was not so heavy, but the wind hooted outside as thunder roared.


    When the Hakusei looked up, there were tears of pain that reflected Ai¡¯s behind her veil of greasy white. ¡°I can¡¯t¡­¡± she protested. But the girls were now surrounded by hot flames that charred their kimonos and frizzed their hair.


    Purple lightning flashed and thunder continued to roll through the valleys. The wind rattled and shook the open windows, but inside was in its own war.


    ¡°Get us out of here!¡± Ai begged. ¡°You can do magic. I know you can.¡±


    The Hakusei clutched her once burning arm. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± She looked at the girls cornered by the far wall through blurry eyes. Flames were at their feet. ¡°It¡¯s not aloud,¡± the Hakusei sobbed.


    ¡°Please save us!¡± cried the girls who¡¯d lit the matchstick.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± begged Ai. ¡°If you don¡¯t we¡¯ll all die.¡±


    Ai didn¡¯t mention what everyone in that room knew: that if the Hakusei used magic, it was punishable by death as per law.


    ¡°Father Mich¡¯yl would never forgive me,¡± the Hakusei said, but she was already on her feet as if she were resigned to make a decision. Not even her fear for the priest of the Temple of the Crane is greater than her fear for death. She locked eyes with Ai. ¡°The only way out is through those windows.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on the second floor¡­¡± Momo sobbed.


    ¡°T,then have us fly out to safety.¡± said Ai over the roar of fire.


    ¡°Yes!¡± cried the other girls.


    ¡°Have us fly. Up, up!¡±


    The Hakusei was now surrounded by a ring of fire and the girls could only see her silhouette. But Ai last remembered seeing the Hakusei¡¯s resolve before the girl closed her eyes and moved her lips.


    After that was the call of birds, her flock.

 Two - Odilia

    The little girl sat alone in a puddle of cold rain when a tall stranger approached her and offered a gloved hand. Instead of taking it, the girl stood up and showed the man the burns and scars running from her blackened fingernails to her elbows which she had tucked under her sleeve.


    She expected the man to see her as a bad omen, for him to run away. What she did not expect was for the man to remove his glove, and reveal an arm much the same, a hand in much worse condition.


    The girl looked and squinted up at the man who had now attracted the girl¡¯s curiosity. The man looked like a foreigner, middle-aged but still handsome with a black top hat over a ginger head that matched his ginger whiskers. He wore a tailored black suit like that of the west. His eyes were an unnatural yellow. Golden. It was a color that the girl was familiar with. The same color of eyes as the girl.


    ¡°Did you do this?¡± asked the man, motioning to the wreckage behind the girl, a house no more.


    The girl shook her head.


    The man smiled. ¡°Back then, I also said it wasn¡¯t my fault, but I saw the cranes.¡±


    That had the girl back away, hands back to her sides.


    ¡°The cranes, you did that.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question.


    The girl looked at her muddied, wet socks. ¡°Do you know how to get them back?¡± she whispered, curling her toes.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Tears wallowed in the girl¡¯s eyes.


    A shadow fell over the girl, and when she looked back up, the man placed a hand behind her shoulders. She noticed that he was gloved once more.


    The man¡¯s yellow eyes watched steadily as he said, ¡°They¡¯ll be back. They¡¯ll always be back.¡± The girl believed him, but she was still curious.


    ¡°How do you know?¡± the girl sniffed and wiped at her eyes, the same color as the man¡¯s.


    ¡°Because all you did was answer their prayers.¡± The man stood so that the girl saw through her eyes, the blinking stars in the sky which looked like a halo of crown jewels. ¡°You are only a little nestling. Your spells won¡¯t last, they will be back.¡±


    The girl sniffed, her tiny red nose quivered. ¡°One was my sister.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    She nodded slowly. ¡°Ai. It was her birthday. I made it the worst.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be back,¡± the man reassured once more.


    The girl remained silent.


    The man leaned back and looked up into the sky that blinked with a million stars. It was only minutes before that the sky was veiled by dark clouds.


    ¡°You know,¡± said the man. ¡°I once had a brother.¡±


    ¡°And he returned?¡±


    ¡°He never left,¡± the man smiled. ¡°But I did, and I always returned.¡±


    The man took the girl¡¯s small, trembling hands. They trembled because of the cold, not out of fear.


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    ¡°So where are you going now?¡± wondered the curious little girl. ¡°Back to your brother?¡±


    The man laughed, a deep, throaty chuckle. ¡°No, not yet.¡±


    The girl¡¯s tears had now gone dry, and when she blinked, she saw an opportunity form before her and so she fell at the man¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Take me with you,¡± begged the little girl. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here. They¡¯ll hate me more than they already do now.¡±  She hung her head in defeat, white tendrils of hair falling around her face like wet fur.


    The man didn¡¯t say anything for a while, and when the little girl looked up to make sure the man was still there, he saw her tear-streaked face and laughed. ¡°My, you aren¡¯t kidding, are you?¡± He coughed as if embarrassed, then lowered to his knee, mudding his dark trousers so that he could look at the girl in the eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t take a girl I don¡¯t know. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have one,¡± the girl didn¡¯t want to tell the man what the villagers called her. The Hakusei. As if she weren¡¯t one of them.


    ¡°I see,¡± the man dropped his gaze as if in thought, then he looked back up. ¡°I¡¯m Erwin Kennedy. A traveling doctor from the kingdom of Iyll.¡± He searched the girl¡¯s desperate eyes and sighed. ¡°I suppose you can tag along while I¡¯m in Kuroba.¡±


    The little girl¡¯s heart rejoiced.


    ¡°But let me name you in exchange. What do you think of a name like Odilia? It¡¯s a name that means ¡®treasure¡¯ from my mother¡¯s hometown.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± the girl thought about it. ¡°So then will I be your treasure?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± the man rested a gentle hand on the girl¡¯s head. ¡°Like a daughter of my own.¡±


    The girl tilted her head to the side thoughtfully, then looked back up at the man. ¡°I like that.¡±


    The little girl, now Odilia Kennedy, stood up with her new father and took his gloved hand in her own blackened one. The pair looked back at the wreckage of a fire. The dark hand in Erwin¡¯s palm tightened its hold. ¡°Will I see my sister again?¡± said the girl.


    ¡°Sure,¡± said the man. ¡°We will pass this town again each year. You will see her then.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± says the girl. Then a moment later, ¡°Since we¡¯re now family, I want you to teach me how to do that.¡± she points to the man¡¯s gloved hands, golden eyes looking with purpose. Before, when he¡¯d put them back on, he hadn¡¯t done it the usual way with the pulling and tugging at the fingers. They¡¯d simply once been off, then suddenly in a blink, on his hand once more.


    The man smiled. He made his promise.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    As promised, the next year, the little girl, Odilia, now a year older, and the doctor, Erwin Kennedy, returned to the town known as Hikizu village to see if Ai and her friends had returned.


    The town which was known to be broken and disheveled, was even more broken than before. Half the people were missing. Odilia noticed the missing families were the families of the girls who¡¯d flown into the night with her sister. When the pair reached where the Torizora family estate once stood, they understood why.


    The wreckage that once stood, had somehow caved into a ditch that was now flooded by rainwater. Floating and flocking amongst the flooded wreckage were red-crowned cranes. Ai and the girls had returned to this village that they knew as their home, but they were still flapping great white wings as graceful, long-legged birds. The spell had not lifted.


    Odilia, while wearing a hood so that her white hair would not be recognized, asked the passing villagers what happened to the empty plot with all the charred wreckage. What the remaining villagers told her, was a tale of sorrow. They told the girl that a terrible storm had struck the house and killed all the inhabitants. Seven girls had supposedly died that night, one, who was the daughter of the house, Chief Torizora and his wife¡¯s beloved child. The mother, when she found out, had been shaken into depression and died of illness within a month. The father had committed suicide. It was too much for the village so most families had left.


    When Odilia asked about the Hakusei, the villagers shushed her, saying the name of a demon shall not be named. It was a new policy presented by Father Mich¡¯yl, head priest of the Temple of the Crane. Perhaps the people believed it was the girl¡¯s fault for the terrible fate of the Torizora family.


    Odilia left the village the same day she came, heart feeling hollow despite being hand in hand with her new father.


    Still, Odilia returned every year, hoping to see the spell lifted. Hoping to see her sister¡¯s face.


    But every time the girl saw the birds. So she left with her new father. Why stay if her sister hadn¡¯t fully returned home either?

 Three - Odilia

    Odilia¡¯s favorite town to visit was the Kigoguchi village. She and Erwin would pass through it every autumn and if Erwin allowed it, they would remain throughout the cold winter.


    Unlike the smaller Hikizu village where everyone knew of each other through fast gossip, Kigoguchi was more urbanized with people focused on their roles in society. The villagers especially didn¡¯t seem to care how different Odilia looked as a Kurobanese albino. She soon understood why this was so, when at the break of dawn, the main streets of Kigoguchi village filled with a mixture of Kurobanese and foreigners. Doors and windows flew open despite the chill and people went about their business while chattering with neighbors in various languages: some in Kurobanese, others in the common Gardeinian tongue, and the other native languages.


    At the introduction of Kigoguchi village, Erwin set up his office in the town hospital and sent Odilia out to explore on her own. The result was discovering a cheery western-styled house the color of the sun which stood next to a school where children were playing tag. Even with her strange yellow eyes and white  hair, the Odilia was pulled into the game by invitation. There, she made her first friends: Emiko, Lancelot, and little Arthur. The yellow house had been an orphanage where her three new friends lived.


    Every year when Odilia returned to Kigoguchi, she reunited with her friends.


    ¡°My parents didn¡¯t abandon me. I ran away.¡± Lancelot huffed proudly at Odilia¡¯s sixteenth birthday party which was held inside the decorated orphanage. The children sat around a table with tiny plates and forks waiting for cake.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t much of a lie.¡± Emiko shrugged at Lancelot''s haughty statement. ¡°He doesn¡¯t have parents as far as we know, and the adults looked everywhere...¡±


    Lancelot smirked.


    ¡°...they even looked outside of Kuroba to see if anyone was missing a child.¡± Emiko added. She returned Lancelot¡¯s stare snobbishly. ¡°That¡¯s how eager they were to get rid of him.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Lancelot pouted.


    A small boy with chestnut hair wrapped his arms around his waist and giggled in his seat.


    ¡°Arthur!¡± cried Lancelot, looking at the chestnut haired boy in mock betrayal. ¡°That wasn¡¯t even funny.¡±


    ¡°You want to know something funny?¡± Emiko whispered into Odilia¡¯s ear, but loud enough so that everyone else could hear. ¡°Lance gave himself a foreign name so that he could marry a foreign princess. As if that¡¯s how it¡¯s supposed to work! HA!¡± Giggles erupted among spectators like hiccuping rockets in unison to Emiko¡¯s own boisterous laugh.


    ¡°Quit it!¡± Lancelot grumbled. But the corners of his mouth were tugging upwards. Odilia knew now after only knowing him for two years, that Lancelot loved attention.


    Odilia was laughing too. She was happy with these people who¡¯d been her first friends since leaving Hikizu village. Emiko was sweet with a contagiously positive energy. Lancelot was a jokester and always up for laughs, even if it were targeted towards him. And Aurthur, although a mute at twelve years old, was treasured by the group.


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    ¡°Cake!¡± Lancelot pounced as Erwin entered the room with Miss W?rter, the head caretaker of the orphanage, who was pushing a cart with a strawberry-shortcake topped with vanilla whipped cream.


    No candles were lit because Erwin Kennedy understood Odilia¡¯s fear of flames and had previously instructed the orphanage to never do so when the pair visited. The party of orphans went straight to the singing and wishing Odilia a happy year.


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t blow on candles, you still need to make a wish!¡± Emiko insisted after the last note was sung.


    Odilia nodded her head and closed her eyes. She imagined a life with Ai. She opened her eyes and the cake was cut and delivered. The children ate and then it was time for gifts. Emiko and Lancelot had saved up money together to buy her a book on fairy tales. Odilia was grateful. Odilia opened Arthur''s gift next, which caused the young boy to burst into tears because the flower crown that he¡¯d made the past summer had withered from its original strength and color. Odilia placed it carefully on her crown and thanked the little boy. Then came time to open the doctor¡¯s gifts. A new dress, a pair of shoes, some jewelry and a hat. These were all western clothes, not the same kimono style dresses Odilia used to wear. Odilia tried on the new shoes before opening the last gift. Odilia unearthed a stick.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you how to wield it later,¡± said the doctor.


    Odilia quietly forgot the stick and went out to play. Hours later when Erwin and Odilia were alone in her bedroom, the doctor explained to her that the stick was from the heart of By¡¯lyl.


    ¡°The forest behind Hikizu village?¡± questioned Odilia.


    Erwin nodded. ¡°Yes, but it''s more than that.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Odilia fingered the dark, wooden stick which looked more like a small branch that was torn from a tree.


    ¡°Odilia, do you remember when you asked me if I could teach you how to do magic?¡±


    ¡°Magic?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I did when I put on the glove without touching it.¡±


    The night in which the girl met the doctor was blurry in her mind. ¡°Oh.¡±


    Erwin pointed at the stick in Odilia¡¯s hand. ¡°That, my nestling, will help you do what I did.¡±


    ¡°Clothe myself without lifting a finger?¡±


    ¡°Do magic,¡± he smiled.


    Odilia yawned and fell back into her bed. ¡°I¡¯m tired.¡±


    Erwin got up, tucked Odilia into bed, kissed her forehead, and left. He took the glow of the lamplight with him.


    Odilia turned beneath the covers. She fingered the stick which she still held in her hand.


    Magic. Her parents and Ai wouldn¡¯t allow it. Odilia clenched her fist. But Erwin was her father now. Her real parents were gone and Ai was a crane. But Odilia also didn¡¯t know if she wanted to play with magic either. The first time she actually did magic, her sister and her friends were cursed  into birds. Odilia felt her chest tighten.


    She kicked the covers off of herself and stumbled onto the direction of the window. Fingering the wooden panels, she slid them open. Cold air pushed against her pale cheeks and white fluffs swirled into her room. It was snowing.


    Still holding the stick, Odilia brought her arm to the window so that the moon and stars would shine their light onto the wood gone warm in her hand.


    If she learned magic, could she learn to reverse the spell she cast on her sister?

 Four - Odilia

    As Erwin and Odilia traveled their yearly route throughout the Kuriba Empire, Erwin taught everything he knew as promised, to Odilia.


    Odilia learned how to remove and return clothing with magic just as Erwin had done the night they met. She learned it using the stick he¡¯d given her which Erwin instructed she call a wand.


    ¡°The wand should be treated like an extension of your arm.¡± The doctor moved to stand behind Odilia, taking her wand hand. The two stood alone under the cover of a small woodland by the Makigawa plains, a land south of Hikizu village.


    In the dewy morning, the two had shared a simple breakfast of onigiri, rice-balls wrapped in seaweed, before setting to work. As a doctor, Erwin was constantly collecting herbs along their journey and Odilia would help. After filling a basket of Pinellia, Erwin stopped their work to continue teaching Odilia all he knew.


    Odilia¡¯s hands were gloved despite the mid-spring air to hide the blackened flesh that remained an ugly reminder to the night her house went aflame and her sister flew. Only Erwin knew what was beneath those black gloves, and as far as Odilia knew, she was the only one who knew of Erwin¡¯s own scars beneath his own gloved hands.


    Erwin moved Odilia¡¯s fingers so that the wand sat on her pinky and third finger while her thumb, middle, and forefinger cradled the sides.


    ¡°Wands should be held as such so that the flow of magic remains stable and reaches your goal,¡± explained the doctor. Erwin pushed Odilia¡¯s tense shoulders down and used his gloved forefinger to level her chin. ¡°Aim it at that tree.¡± Erwin guided Odilia¡¯s arm so that it shot outwards towards an oak in the distance. ¡°I want you to kill it.¡±


    Odilia stepped backwards in surprise, bumping up against her teacher in the process. ¡°Why?¡± She craned her neck backwards to meet Erwin¡¯s yellow eyes. Odilia shook her head, contemplating. ¡°Actually, how?¡± she looked down at her arm holding the wand aloft. ¡°With this wand? At a distance?¡±


    Erwin looked up at the sky speckled with white clouds, thoughtfully. ¡°Do you remember the feeling you felt when using magic? When you turned those girls into cranes?¡±


    Odilia nodded her head. Her entire body had felt tense. Her palms and forehead had been sweaty. Her legs had cramped and her stomach ached. She remembered that when she¡¯d released it all, her sister and friends had flown away. She also remembered the description she¡¯d internalized to convey how she¡¯d felt using magic.


    Odilia peeked at Erwin and shyly covered her mouth. ¡°Can I be honest with you?¡± she whispered.


    Erwin smiled and encouragingly nodded his head.


    Odilia took a deep breath and sharply turned towards him all serious and said, ¡°It felt like taking a big dump.¡±


    There was a pause where the doctor¡¯s face contorted in a twist as if he were struggling to hold something in, then at once he burst into a laughter so great, it turned into coughing fits.


    Erwin held his abdomen, wheezing when he caught Odilia¡¯s visage of mortification. ¡°Felt like a¡­¡± he gasped through breaths.¡°Using magic did¡­!?¡±


    Odilia reddened and stepped away from her teacher who looked about close to wanting to roll onto the ground, laughing. ¡°Is that not normal?¡±


    Erwin slapped his knee as he straightened. ¡°No, no. I¡¯ve never heard anything more relatable in my life!¡± beamed the doctor. He gestured towards Odilia to follow him. ¡°But now, my little nestling,¡± Erwin directed Odilia back towards the oak. ¡°You need to learn how to aim that big dump.¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    That willow lived. And so did the trees after that.


    A week later, Odilia collapsed onto her bed in an inn after failing to kill a potted plant. Her wand was still in her hand and seemed to hum in repeated disappointment.


    ¡°Why do I even have to use a wand?¡± Odilia grumbled at the ceiling. She turned her head towards the wooden chair in which Erwin sat and quietly read a book. ¡°I don¡¯t remember seeing you use a wand when putting on your gloves.¡± Odilia said accusingly.


    Erwin spoke without glancing up. ¡°A beginner must always start with the basics.¡±


    ¡°Well I don¡¯t have to,¡± Odilia sulked. ¡°I was perfectly capable of turning my sister and her friends into birds without the help of a stick.¡±


    Erwin flipped the page of his book. ¡°Yes, but without the wand, you wouldn¡¯t know where to direct that big dump.¡±


    Odilia¡¯s cheeks heated. ¡°Yes I do.¡± Odilia stuck her forefinger out in the direction of the potted plant. ¡°At that. All I need to do is imagine the plant withering away and BOOM! The plant should die.¡±


    Erwin settled his book on his knee and looked up at the girl sprawled across her bed. ¡°Boom. Is that how it feels when you go take a shit?¡±


    Odilia scowled.


    Erwin chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s not how it works. Now you have to fit it in like a tube. Shwooop! Like this before the big bang. It should be easy since you have a wand.¡± Erwin took out his left arm and steadied it before him, his hand shaped like a gun towards the potted plant. Some energy sparked between the plant and Erwin, then the plant bubbled and caved in onto itself, rotten and dead to the core. ¡°Aim it like a shot-gun.¡± Erwin blew imaginary smoke from his middle and forefinger.


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    ¡°Huh?¡± Odilia sat up. ¡°Again, why do I have to use a wand? You made that look so easy.¡±


    Erwin interlocked his fingers over his lap. ¡°When I don¡¯t use a wand, I still imagine the shape of an elongated tube. Isn¡¯t it much easier with a stick to serve as a visual for beginners?¡±


    ¡°It has to go through this stick?¡± Odilia slumped, looking at the spindly wand in her hand.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Erwin sighed and stood, taking the wand from Odilia¡¯s hand. ¡°Must I explain once more? Without it, you have no focus.¡± He used the wand this time and aimed once more at the potted plant. Energy crackled once more and the plant sprung up, healthy and green once more. ¡°Without focus, the magic just goes.¡±


    ¡°Well like I said, I was perfectly capable of casting a spell on my sister and her friends.¡± Odilia protested.


    ¡°But were you able to reverse it?¡±


    Odilia bit her lip. ¡°Well, it''s not like I exactly tried¡­¡± then she waved her palms out and hurriedly added, ¡°but like you said, magic shouldn¡¯t last so long. It should have faded so I didn¡¯t even think to try.¡±


    Erwin nodded his head. ¡°Yes, but like how you¡¯ve failed to kill all these plants along our journey, you would have failed to restore the girls¡¯ human bodies.¡± Erwin began pacing in the small room, twirling the wand between nimble fingers as he walked. ¡°You can¡¯t just imagine in your head as to where you want the magic to go. You must first imagine the magic flow. Once you can visualize this imagery, then you¡¯ll actually be able to see it.¡± Erwin stopped and leaned in so that he and Odilia were eye to eye. ¡°The magic, it¡¯s why I found you that night.¡±


    Odilia shivered as she felt a cold chill settle. ¡°You¡­ saw?¡±


    ¡°You told me that releasing magic feels like taking a big dump. Well, it looks like that too.¡±


    Odilia¡¯s cheeks blotched red.


    ¡°Without focus, without the visual and sight of the true end goal,¡± Erwin continued, ¡°the magic just goes.¡±


    Odilia just continued staring at the doctor with her yellow eyes. He wasn¡¯t explaining any better than she understood. She was focused! Odilia had many times closed her eyes, imagined the potted plant in front of her and imagined it wither and die. She¡¯d visualized all of it. She¡¯d had it explode in her brain too. Even had it burst into hot flames. Still nothing.


    ¡°You look confused.¡± says Erwin.


    She was.


    ¡°How about this?¡± Erwin peeled off his gloves, receiving wide eyes from the girl because he rarely removed them, even in front of her. Black burn scars that would never fade flashed in the yellow lamplight. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering, why do we burn so easily? It¡¯s as if the flames want to consume us, no?¡±


    Odilia blinked, eyeing Erwin¡¯s exposed flesh with wary eyes. She fingered her own gloved hands. ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re witches.¡±


    ¡°You say it like it¡¯s bad,¡± Erwin laughed. ¡°But you¡¯re right, although I don¡¯t think you know what that really means.¡± He grinned and leaned forwards so that his words could be heard in a whisper. ¡°We have what the fae have.¡±


    Odilia leaned back as if Erwin had just thrown salt at her, like Father Mich¡¯yl had to ward off Odilia¡¯s evil aura. Father Mich¡¯yl and the shrine maidens of Aketsuru shrine would disapprove of what Erwin had just said. The fae were worshiped and revered by the humans as gods. The fae had everything the humans did not have. Power was in the hands of the fae as there was a clear hierarchy. Humans were beneath the fae and demons like Odilia and Erwin, were even further down below.


    ¡°Magic. Is that not what the fae and we have in common?¡± Erwin¡¯s grin grew wider. ¡°I can see it in your eyes. You¡¯ve been told lies like that you are a demon. That witches are evil. But witches, if not human, are just another type of fae.¡±


    Odilia clutched her arm, saying nothing.


    ¡°People fear us because oxygen isn¡¯t all that we breathe.¡± Erwin straightened and handed back the wand to Odilia. ¡°We breathe magic too. Magic is in our blood, flowing throughout our entire body along with oxygen. So, when we use it, it sparks from all around and goes BOOM.¡±


    ¡°Boom¡­¡± Odilia mumbled, feeling lightheaded from all the information and new questions forming in her mind.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Erwin nodded his head slowly like a teacher to a pupil. ¡°So that¡¯s why when we draw close to fire, we go BOOM too. We¡¯re highly flammable thanks to magic being a highly flammable substance.¡± He shrugged. ¡°It can¡¯t be helped, although I suppose the laws of nature needed some way to balance the forces of power.¡±


    Erwin traced his obsidian scars. ¡°And see here, this is the remnants of burned magic.¡±


    ¡°So the magic throughout my body¡­¡± Odilia spoke, thinking.


    ¡°You need to gather it and string it together into that one arm.¡± Erwin poked Odilia¡¯s right arm that fisted her wand. ¡°Let the energy go through the tube.¡±


    Odilia held the wand  just as the doctor had taught her and aimed it at the potted plant. She imagined a crackling cannon reading itself in her shoulder before releasing it out straight to her elbow and down her arm. In her mind she saw how it squarely left from between her first two fingers before flashing through the wand. Odilia¡¯s butt clenched, her entire body warmed and her palms clammed beneath her gloves. A cloud of smoke consumed the potted plant and collapsed with the remainder being only ash.


    ¡°Well done.¡± Erwin clapped.


    Odilia dropped her wand and stared at her work. She¡¯d done it. And the magic hadn¡¯t gone BOOM. It¡¯d gone shwooop as Erwin had told her it should. And Odilia had seen the magic line up and shoot out like a long web connecting her to the plant. Real static energy had coursed through there.


    Odilia had also realized something. Odilia held the wand out to Erwin. ¡°This is just a stick, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s not a wand.¡±


    ¡°Sure, it''s a wand. Like any stick would do.¡± Erwin winked. ¡°But you¡¯re right, there¡¯s nothing special about it, although I did not lie about its origin. I really did pick it from the heart of By¡¯lyl. Although of course, By¡¯lyl is just like any other forest. Normal. No magic or special tricks in there to help you.¡±


    Odilia rolled her eyes. This! And after all the fuss he¡¯d made about the stick¡¯s importance.


    ¡°It¡¯s still important!¡± Erwin argued as if he¡¯d read her mind. ¡°It¡¯s still needed to train your focus. Just because you can see magic now, doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll see it tomorrow.¡±


    Odilia sighed and flopped onto her back. Long hair, white as snow spilled out beneath her.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Odilia decided as she looked up at the wood ceiling above. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± She craned her neck towards the chair where Erwin had returned to continue his book.


    The doctor smiled at the yellow, bound pages of his book.


    ¡°Now bring the plant back to life.¡±

 Five - Odilia

    For Odilia¡¯s eighteenth birthday, Erwin prepared her a special gift: a house of her own. The location, however, was within Hikizu village where Odilia had run from four years ago.


    Half-way into the forest of By¡¯lyl, Erin asked Odilia to take his hand and to close her eyes as they trudged up the rest of the path. Odilia clenched her trunk in one fist and settled her other gloved hand into her adoptive father¡¯s.


    Odilia almost didn¡¯t recognize the location of the house that stood before her when she opened her eyes. Instead of a traditional Kuroban house that used to be her home, a grandiose estate of the western fashion met face.


    There was a front door; one that swung inwards instead of sliding across panels, wedged between the red, brick wall. Creamy cobblestones littered the path up the door in which a white picket-fence surrounded the perimeter of the house. In floral pastels, the house was surrounded by bushels of hydrangea.


    Odilia slowly approached the house where in the glass windows, her own blank expression reflected as a reaction to this new architecture. However she was not looking at herself in the window, or admiring the craftsmanship of her home. What she saw as the glare of sunlight shifted, was the deep lake where seven cranes flocked.


    It was the lake which was once a ditch. A ditch where the Torizora mansion used to stand before it fell to rubble. Odilia¡¯s vision blurred and her throat constructed as she felt hot claustrophobia wrap tight around her.


    ¡°The plot was up for sale this previous summer,¡± Erwin explained as he stepped up next to Odilia. ¡°I had this built thinking out of anyone, you had the right to this land.¡±


    The smell of green grass cut crisp like winter frost as Odilia inhaled a shaky breath.


    Erwin placed a hand on Odlia¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Happy birthday, my little nestling.¡± A documented paper appeared in front of Odilia¡¯s vision. The contract for the land. Odilia didn¡¯t take it.


    The girl¡¯s eye remained glued to the house. The glass. The reflection. ¡°Are you leaving me here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been four years,¡± Erwin mused. ¡°Don¡¯t you want a home to call your own?¡±


    Odilia clenched her teeth. ¡°I like traveling with you.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t suppose you want to be a doctor.¡±


    Odilia remained silent.


    A soft sigh escaped from Erwin who moved to stand besides Odilia. ¡°If you continue traversing Kuroba with me, the people will talk. They already do.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    Erwin glanced at Odilia who had yet to move. ¡°They will continue talking, and although it is none of their business, they will wonder who you are and why you have not married.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°Well I do,¡± said Erwin. ¡°I care about normality. If we don¡¯t want to end up burning at the stake as magic users, we must try twice as hard to live a life that society deems acceptable.¡±


    Odilia lowered her bag and finally took the contract between fists. ¡°I left this place for a reason.¡± There was a hint of sadness in her voice. ¡°Did I not throw away my previous family when I took yours?¡±


    Erwin looked up at the house thoughtfully. ¡°Is that how you see it?¡±


    Odilia waved her arm in the direction of the cranes in the near distance. ¡°I did this to my sister. My parents are gone and the people never cared about the Hakusei.¡±


    ¡°So did you abandon them, or did they abandon you?¡±


    Odilia clenched her jaw. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter. All I know is that I don¡¯t belong here.¡± She shoved the contract back at Erwin. ¡°If you want to abandon me like my previous family, at least take me to the Kigoguchi orphanage.


    Erwin laughed, startling Odilia. The cranes flapped their wings at sensing the disruption.


    ¡°The orphanage only takes in children until the age of seventeen. Eighteen year olds leave and begin their own journey. Like a father to daughter, I want you to start your own journey too. This was once your home,¡± Erwin grinned at the red-bricked house. ¡°So I think it¡¯s fitting that your journey begins here.¡±


    ¡°Is this some twisted way to get me to face my past?¡± Odilia turned towards Erwin, a question on her face.


    Erwin lifted a gloved hand and swept a lock of red hair behind Odilia¡¯s ear. Her hair was now dyed red with magic by draining the color from the powdered mixture of saffron. It was their attempt at erasing Odilia¡¯s past identity as the Hakusei upon Odilia¡¯s own request. Now they looked like father and daughter. Matching ginger locks, flashing, golden eyes.


    Erwin smiled. ¡°This is my way of apologizing, one witch to another. There¡¯s a lie I¡¯d like to reveal.¡±


    ¡°A lie?¡±


    Erwin nodded. ¡°I have taught you everything I know about magic. It¡¯s theory, how to wield it with a wand, how to wield it without a wand. I¡¯ve taught you everything I know from how to levitate objects to controlling the natural elements. I¡¯ve even taught you how to transform.¡±


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    Odilia smiled and nodded her head. She¡¯d grown fond of her ability to shapeshift, which she¡¯d learned a year ago. Her ability to transform into a Steller¡¯s sea eagle fulfilled the thrill and joy of flying.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Erwin chuckled and looked down at the tips of his shiny tailored shoes. ¡°I could not teach you how to reverse a spell, so I told you it was impossible.¡±


    Odilia frowned, thinking about the many destroyed objects that they¡¯d renewed with magic. ¡°But we¡¯ve reversed spells before-¡± Odilia stopped as she caught sight of where Erwin¡¯s gaze had now fallen: at the cranes.


    ¡°What I taught you to do was cast a spell. Not reverse the past.¡± Erwin sighed. ¡°Like I said four years ago, the spell on those girls should have broken. Although I have mocked the fae multiple times, there is a reason why they are revered while us witches still stand in their shadows.¡±


    The doctor heaved a heavy chuckle. ¡°Our spells do not last. There is always a limit, and they always break. Typically, by midnight.¡±


    ¡°So-¡±


    ¡°So,¡± Erwin continued. ¡°While we were in Byakko in the fall two years ago, I met up with an old acquaintance in hopes that they could come up with an explanation for this mystery. They had none. Spells break whether the witch wants it to or not, and it definitely breaks when the witch hopes for it. Instead, they told me what I already knew, that spells can be reversed.¡±


    Odilia froze.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you before because there is a difference between spells breaking and spells being reversed.¡± Erwin looked apologetically into the girl¡¯s eyes. ¡°You can forgive me, can you? Because the nature of reversing a spell means the spell was never cast. That means completely removing the magic that was ever there.¡± Erwin clasped Odilia¡¯s gloved hands.


    ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say here, Odilia, what I mean is, if a witch reverses a spell, they lose their magic. You wouldn¡¯t want to lose your magic, would you?¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    You wouldn¡¯t want to lose your magic, would you?


    Erwin Kennedy¡¯s words swam in Odilila¡¯s mind that night as she rolled across her bedsheets. Erwin had given her a room with a bed, but Odilia still found its tall frame uncomfortable. She wished for a futon and blankets to place on the wooden floor.


    With her red hair in braids and a cotton nightgown, Odilia lay flat on her back debating the events of this day. The house was magnificent and she felt happy, appreciated by the doctor whom she could now see as her father. However he had lied to her about her magic and had even tried to abandon her here. Why couldn¡¯t she just continue journeying with him? They could just as easily make an excuse for her following his path. She thought he was happy having her with him too.


    Odilia felt confused, conflicted by all the new information. The spell on her sister and the other girls should have been broken. Spells break whether the witch wants it to or not. Erwin had said. And Odilia wanted the spell to break. Did she not? Odilia rolled over to her side and struggled to her feet. She wasn¡¯t getting any sleep thinking.


    Odilia walked to her glass window which she pushed open. The night spring breeze was sharp. The air, humid. Odilia closed her eyes and tried to relax. She opened them and counted the tiny stars in the distant sky.


    An hour must have passed. Odilia couldn¡¯t sleep, so she opened the window even wider. She closed her eyes once more, imagining feathers as her entire body began to warm as if by a fire. The rhythm of her heart quickened pace and adrenaline coursed through her veins and muscles as tendons tensed. Then the sickening feeling came and went in her stomach as she felt herself grow smaller, smaller, smaller.


    Odilia opened her eyes as she spread her black wings and lept from the window into the night sky. There was no moon, but the stars sparkled and guided a path into the trees. Bushy tall greens, By¡¯lyl, the forest Odilia once feared was no longer fearful when flight was possible. Odilia wondered if Ai had felt this way when she first flew.


    The village was asleep. Midnight descended over Hikizu village as Odilia¡¯s bird form circled above the town and glided amongst the surrounding forest. Dark shadows trailed the girl¡¯s wings as she spun and parcored through the air. She shot through between the houses crowded together by narrow rows. Lamp lights flickered when she passed, then sputtered out. Odilia shot up high. High up her yellow beak sticking to the blanket of stars, then she flipped like an acrobat, letting momentum take her down. Below her is the lake where the cranes flocked.


    Odlia dove down, down. Then she flipped onto her belly and skimmed the water, skipping across the cold, wet reflection until she reached the far shore and rested to a stop.


    She was a bird dressed in a dark coat except for the thick, white stripe capping the top of her wings and the yellow of her beak and eyes. Odilia regarded her reflection as a Steller''s Sea Eagle, the type of bird Erwin had identified as Odilia¡¯s transformation on the first day she had taken flight.


    The red-crowned cranes, some sleeping, some preening in the waters, reflected a white contrast around Odilia¡¯s own dark reflection. A certain calm fell upon the girl.


    An understanding.


    Because in this reflection, she saw what she would never admit to Erwin Kennedy: the past that she had run from four years ago. It was that Odilia would never be accepted into a flock of her own. Not like Ai who had six others surrounding her, sharing the same fate. Odilia was completely her own. Not even Erwin who also had magic in his blood was in true kinship with Odilia. The fact that Erwin was readily able to abandon her at the village, and was a White Tailed Eagle as a bird, was proof of their false family relationship.


    Odilia was a black stub of reflection in the calm waters surrounded by the graceful, long-legged cranes. Cold cynicism built up within Odilia from the pit of her stomach in mock sympathy towards Ai who even as a bird, would never be alone.


    Finding resolve, Odilia prepared to leave when a white feather disrupted her reflection. When Odilia angrily looked up to the cranes, more feathers joined to flutter down next to the first feather. Odilia¡¯s body tensed, ready to fly at any moment as she saw the cranes flutter and quiver and shed their white feathers from their bodies. Even the black tips of their wings blew in the soft wind and molted away.


    Afraid, Odilia pumped every ounce  of energy that she could muster into her wings and soared onto the tallest branch of a nearby beech tree. By the time Odilia had grasped what was happening to the cranes below, all the feathers were gone.


    Birds flocked no more, and instead, there stood seven young women in the lake like serene naiads dressed in kimono. The kimonos were clearly too tight, the designs four years old. Mako, whose hair used to be a bob cut, energetic Kaori, Nana with her pink bow, curly haired Sakura, quiet Momo, and Ri with her yellow kimono, all of them stood reborn. Odilia released a cry as she recognized a tall, white figure with obsidian silk for hair.


    Ai squinted up into the branches of the dark trees when she heard the sharp cry of a bird, but Odilia had already flown away.

 Six - Ai

    Four years ago, Ai and her friends had woken to a starless sky. Wet mud pressed against their cheeks as they struggled in their situation, cold in their damp kimonos.


    Although they did not know at first, they were up by the banks of a river near the border breaching Makigawa, a country town south of Hikizu village. It was dark, likely midnight, and the girls were shivering, afraid. The last thing they remembered was a fire before the Hakusei started mumbling incoherent words. However, not even the smell of smoke remained.


    The girls all lost consciousness as the sun broke the surface of the earth and they only came-to when darkness descended upon them once more. This time, some of them were swimming in the cold waters. Choking on freshwater, Ri waded out of the ice-cold and into Ai¡¯s shivering embrace. The seven girls huddled together in silence, waiting for light to come so that they could quickly find their way back home.


    When the girls woke up in much the same condition: the sky dark and the air damp and cold with each girl in a position they were not in before, fear fueled them to travel in the dark. They did not know that exactly two days had passed since the night of the fire, but based on their new displacement across the plain, they knew time had moved on. In the dark, Kaori suggested they find their way home. As much as the girls feared running into night crawlers and bandits, they agreed it was better than spending one more night next to the banks of muddy water.


    Halfway through their journey towards where they hoped was the village, the sun rose. When the girls opened their eyes, they were back at the river bank. Kaori voiced that they might be cursed, damned by the gods for asking the Hakusei for help. Ri demanded Ai asking why the Hakusei was in the Torizora mansion. Mako elbowed her, but now all the girls were looking at Ai with questioning expressions. Some were accusatory.


    ¡°I- she-¡± Ai stumbled across a few words before growing silent. Hanging her head low, she cowered on the perch of a rock, far from her friends.


    On the other side where her six friends continued darting their eyes at Ai, Momo, who had been silent this entire time, finally spoke up and said, ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± The other girls, Ai included, realized how empty their stomach had become.


    The girls were now sure that a significant amount of time had passed because their stomachs ached as if they had skipped many meals. So they went out to scavenge for food and quickly learned to survive in the wild. Wood was collected at the border of the forest, By¡¯lyl, to build a fire.


    Giving up on migration, Mako began tallying each time they woke up by scraping a line in the dirt with a short stick. Instead of calling each tally a day, the girls learned to tell time by each night for that was when they woke.


    Although most of the girls were sure that they were just asleep during the day, some knew it didn¡¯t explain why they were always somewhere different when they woke up. The girls lost consciousness at daybreak and woke when night fell. This was a spell, Ai was sure, but then what happened to them during the day?


    More clues of their daily events began to appear after several nights by the river. One day they woke up on muddy land, indicating that it rained during the day. Fish carcasses littered the ground and left a rotting stench.


    ¡°Your breath¡­¡± Sakura waved a hand in front of her scrunched up nose as she leaned away from Nana. ¡°It smells like fish!¡±


    Nana found she wasn¡¯t very hungry that day. So did more than half of the other girls. One look at the fish bones and they were retching the contents of their stomachs behind each other¡¯s backs.


    ¡°We¡¯re monsters.¡± Momo whispered on the thirteenth night.


    ¡°I want my moooooom!¡± sobbed Ri into Mako¡¯s shoulder.


    Ai clenched her eyes shut and prayed to all the gods she could come up with by name.


    After a month''s worth of nights, some of the girls began waking up in even odder positions. Most of the time, the girls always woke up curled on the dirt floor or floating in the river. The latter always brought them fright, although luckily all seven of them could swim. Now Nana looked off in the distance blankly while Ri and Kaori clutched each other after having entered consciousness standing upright.


    Ai bit her lip, watching the scenery of troubled, disheveled, girls. ¡°I think this calls for a meeting.¡± she finally said. Mako and Kaori perked up. Momo slowly glanced over with unfocussed, gray eyes. ¡°And an explanation.¡± Ai added, twiddling her thumbs.


    All the girls circled the campfire after it had been rebuilt, and sat huddled close. The girls on either side of Ai kept their distance. Ai curled inwards, hugging her bare legs to her chest. She looked into the dancing flames as she spoke.


    ¡°The Hakusei is my sister,¡± said Ai. ¡°The eldest Torizora, to be exact.¡± Ai took in a breath. ¡°My family kept it a secret because my sister has a special¡­ condition.¡±


    ¡°Like¡­?¡± Mako prompted.


    Ai sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe something like Kaori said. Maybe she¡¯s cursed.¡± She shrugged and kept talking, her eyes on the flickering of fire lights as her mouth moved. ¡°The priests and shrine maidens all said my sister is possessed. Maybe that¡¯s that, but she¡¯s had this ability that¡¯s unexplainable.¡±


    ¡°But it explains why we¡¯re even alive after that fire¡­¡± Nana wondered.


    ¡°And it explains why we¡¯re still here.¡± added Sakura.


    Ai nodded, her chin bumping against her knees as she bounced her head in a single nod. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± she whispered.


    The girls blinked at each other. Mako rubbed her temples. Momo clapped her hands together and began to pray. ¡°What now?¡± asked Ri.


    ¡°You guys won¡¯t tell anyone?¡± Ai whispered.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there to tell?¡± huffed Sakura. ¡°It¡¯s only us now.¡± At Ai¡¯s frightened expression, Sakura forced a chuckle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re not mad.¡±


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    ¡°Well maybe a little,¡± said Ri.


    ¡°Or a lot,¡± continued Nana.


    Mako embraced Ai in a hug. ¡°But we still love you cause you are our friend.¡±


    Quiet Momo put a hand on Ai¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s completely her fault.¡± Sakura rolled her eyes, flipping her curls over her shoulder. ¡°She should¡¯ve told us everything from the beginning. We¡¯re her best friends.¡±


    Nana nodded her head. ¡°Yeah, birds of a feather flock together.¡±


    Everyone grew silent.


    ¡°Have you guys seen more feathers around us lately?¡± asked Kaori.


    After gathering a couple stray feathers, they¡¯d been able to piece together clues to form an idea of what occurred during daylight. Their conclusion: they transformed into birds. It took them much longer to figure out what bird.


    One night, Ri prompted the idea that they form a small team to go steal a book from the Hikizu town library for the encyclopedia on birds. It took them a week¡¯s worth of nights of experimenting to correctly judge the time and distance to cover the operation. After claiming the book, they compared the feathers they¡¯d gathered with descriptions in the book as well as their current ecosystem and estimated daytime diet. It didn¡¯t take them too long to come up with the idea that they were all some sort of crane.


    ¡°We need to find the Hakusei,¡± said Kaori. ¡°If she cast a spell on us, then she can undo it.¡±


    The girls were already over the shock of living the night-life for a month. They were ready to put their all in getting things back in order.


    ¡°But where could she be?¡± asks Nana. ¡°When we went to get that book,¡± she tapped the cover of the bird encyclopedia with her fingertips, ¡°the Torizora mansion was no more.¡±


    ¡°My question is, why hasn¡¯t the town led a search party?¡± Ri grumped.


    ¡°They probably think we¡¯re dead.¡± Mako sighed.


    ¡°True¡­¡± Sakura rested her chin on her knuckles. ¡°Like who could survive such a fire? It spread so fast. Like remember how the flames jumped on the Hakusei?¡±


    Mako elbowed the girl. ¡°Oh. My. Goodness! Sakura, watch your mouth!¡±


    Sakura blinked. ¡°What-?¡±


    ¡°You just implied that the Hakusei might have died.¡± Nana mumbled.


    The group froze and stared at each other, wide-eyed.


    ¡°My god!¡± Sakura fell backwards. ¡°You don¡¯t think-¡± she covered her mouth with both hands.


    Ai was the one who said it.


    ¡°If my sister is dead, we¡¯ll be stuck like this forever.¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Some time after, rain began to pour heavily and the girls took shelter beneath the canopy of trees for the rest of the night. Ai was thankful for the rain. It hid the streaks of tears that fell in mourning. The rain was cold and fresh against her shoulders which drooped in self pity. Her heart thrummed with guilt that she hurt for herself instead of her dead sister.


    It rained for three consecutive nights, and on the fourth night when the girls woke, they found themselves far from the river that they¡¯d accepted as their home. Now they were by a small pond in which housed poking debris that had become home to a family of rodents. Ai recognized her home, surveying the path leading down from the village, and where the path ends was the pond where remnants of the Torizora estate housed wildlife.


    ¡°Why are we here?¡± Sakura complained, but there was a hint of lilting positivity in her voice despite the confusion written on her face.


    ¡°The river must have flooded,¡± said Mako.


    ¡°So this is our new home?¡± demanded Nana.


    The girls entered a moment of silence.


    The Torizora mansion was slightly isolated from the other houses in the village since it belonged to the village chief. It was why the destruction of this mansion hadn''t affected the rest of the village. Ai studied the current structure of the body of water which had gathered over the sinking ditch that was once her home.


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ai nodded her head. ¡°I suppose we¡¯ll make it our home.¡±


    Ai and the girls got to work, clearing all toxic debris and making room for natural habitants to visit the land. Soon, more rain water expanded the pond. A year later, it was a small lake.


    The girls learned to live freely during their time in the night. So when they woke two years later to see a new work of architecture besides their perfectly curated lake, it was an unexpected event that spread fear of discovery amongst the whole group.


    ¡°I think people have moved in.¡± Mako whispered to the others. She was whispering because they didn¡¯t want to attract attention from their new neighbors in the red-bricked house. Their white and black feathers were strewn across their end of the plot as they sat on wet grass. No campfires were made now that civilization sat next door.


    ¡°Do we have to move?¡± Ri asked.


    Momo sneezed.


    ¡°How is that fair to us?¡± Sakura whispered angrily. ¡°We were here first!¡±


    Nana pointed at the nest the beavers made in the middle of the lake. ¡°Close, but actually, no.¡±


    Sakura arched an eyebrow at Nana. ¡°This was Ai¡¯s home¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ai? What do you think?¡± demanded Mako.


    Ai was still looking in the direction of the trees behind the lake where she¡¯d heard a unique and brand-new bird cry from between beech trees. She thought she saw a familiar pair of yellow eyes¡­


    ¡°Ai?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± Ai startled, looking back at her friend. ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Well? Are we fighting back?¡± Sakura huffed.


    ¡°What if they were foreigners?¡± tittered Momo between sniffles.


    Ai narrowed her eyes at the tall house that now cast a shadow onto their lake. Red stone, like blood. She eyed the velvet curtains of the windows which shifted like living shadows.


    ¡°We fight back, of course.¡± Ai replied with a nod of her head.

 Seven - Ai

    How exactly girls, who were cursed to be birds in daylight, were going to fight against unwanted neighbors, was a good question to ask. The fact that they lost human consciousness while they were birds, did not help.


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Ri exclaimed, dropping her arms to her sides. ¡°We have to do it at night.¡±


    ¡°Do what, exactly?¡± Mako twirled her dark hair around her forefinger. She¡¯d been twirling her hair ever since it grew out of that bob. It now hung to her waist, the dark strands hugging her round figure.


    ¡°Boo!¡± Sakura made a face. ¡°Scare the intruders away like this, I guess,¡± she rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Ai? What do you think?¡± Still twirling the strands of her hair around her finger, Mako took Sakura¡¯s joke seriously and turned towards Ai who was now like their leader.


    Ai nodded her head thoughtfully. ¡°Sure... maybe¡­¡±


    Kaori furrowed her brows. ¡°But it¡¯s risky.¡±


    Momo shivered, her senses in agreement. All the girls exchanged a grave face. They would have to somehow scare the people living in the red-bricked house during the night, which meant exposing themselves and risking discovery. They hadn¡¯t spoken to another human being besides each other in four years.


    A knot formed in Ai¡¯s throat, but she choked it down and continued to form her thoughts out-loud. ¡°Like Sakura said, we have to scare them.¡± Ai grabbed a stray stick and scraped ¡®fears¡¯ into a dirt patch. ¡°We¡¯ll be like ghosts. Luckily, it''s not so far from the truth since the people in this town already think we¡¯re dead. If the newcomers know this, then we¡¯re lucky.¡±


    Ri grinned, clapping her fist into her empty palm in delight. ¡°Oh! Like we¡¯ve come alive!¡±


    ¡°Umm,¡± Nana shook her head. ¡°I think we¡¯re supposed to be ghosts haunting our graves.¡±


    Mako leaned forwards. ¡°So, the plan?¡±


    Ai tapped on the ground where she scraped in ¡®fears¡¯ and had drawn a line. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll start with a list of fears.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, bugs.¡± Sakura spoke immediately, hands resting lightly on her hips. ¡°They¡¯re gross!¡±


    ¡°I bet you eat plenty as a bird.¡± Kaori smirked.


    Sakura held up a hand. ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Ai scratched in ¡®bugs¡¯ beneath the banner of ¡®fears¡¯. ¡°What else is there?¡±


    ¡°Dogs?¡± Ri said at the same time Momo suggested, ¡°The fear of discovery?¡±


    ¡°Dogs!?¡± Sakura exclaimed. ¡°Who in their right mind would be afraid of cute, loyal beans?¡±


    Ri blushed. ¡°They have teeth.¡±


    ¡°We have teeth,¡± Sakura sighed.


    Ai continued taking notes.


    The list soon grew long and a plan began its formation to haunt their new neighbors on the following night. The sun appeared over the horizon, and when Ai and the girls opened their eyes again, it was time.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Ai crouched behind a row of towering hydrangeas and held up three fingers. ¡°On the count of three-¡±


    THUNK.


    Six girls spun their heads towards Kaori. ¡°Sorry.¡± Kaori whispered, arm out in an obvious show that she¡¯d worked out of line to throw a stone.


    ¡°Go, go, go!¡± Ai pushed at Nana in front of her who was startled off balance and fell over the fence into a bed of tulips instead of jumping soundlessly as planned. The other girls followed suit, throwing stones at the windows and slowly circling the house at all sides.


    ¡°Okay, whose idea was it to get them to come outside?¡± asked Ri when their ruckus produced no outcome.


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    Ai tossed a pebble in the air. ¡°They¡¯re probably deep sleepers.¡± She chucked the stone.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ maybe we should try going inside,¡± shrugged Nana before chucking a stone the size of her fist. It crashed into the front window, shattering the glass. The girls froze and blinked at each other in the darkness, waiting for angry people to stumble outside to confront them.


    Nobody came.


    Confused, Ai stepped up and tried the cold, bronze handle of the front door. It swung open soundlessly. Ai looked back at her friends and motioned for Nana and Ri to follow.


    The three girls crept inside which was coated in some blackness darker than the outdoors. Blinking as her eyes adjusted to the inherent lack of light, Ai spread her arms forwards and tiptoed across the hard floor into the open room.


    Suddenly an orange glow burst forth and flame erupted on candles across the room, illuminating the girls¡¯ faces and revealing another subject who stood holding a top hat with gloved hands. The girls were so startled with the appearance of the man that in that instant, they forgot their purpose for ever entering the house and turned to escape out the way they came from. The door behind them was now closed.


    Ai fumbled for words that excused the group¡¯s behavior. ¡°Pardon our intrusion¡­¡± she stammered looking at her feet. ¡°I believe we lost our way¡­¡±


    The man chuckled and spread his arms wide. ¡°Well, then fate must have brought lost birds here for a reason, no?¡± In that instant, a stone hit the window and created a deafening crack. Ai¡¯s eyes widened. She and the two other girls were now holding onto each other''s hands darting nervously like rabbits caught in the talons of their predator. The man however, looked unbothered and only waved a hand in the direction of the broken window. Before their eyes, the glass resealed itself.


    Ai¡¯s legs lost its ability to right itself as she slid to the floor, her hands covering her mouth. Nana and Ri collapsed alongside her, the three girls in a tight huddle as fear curled at their sides.


    Ai knew now that she¡¯d made a mistake. The girls should have left this place. They had dared to face an opponent they did not know in hopes that human trickery of playing ghosts would scare them away. But towering over them, was a wizard.


    ¡°You may call me Rothbart,¡± said the man. He was tall, way past six feet and wore the clothes of a western foreigner of a waistcoat and suit. The wizard was redheaded with a clean-cut ginger beard. He leaned forwards, his sharp, golden eyes caught in the firelight and seemed to pierce through Ai, as if he could read all their secrets.


    Ai then realized how the man had referred to them as lost birds. As if he knew. Something a normal human might not be able to tell at a glance, but he was a wizard¡­


    Ai pushed herself to her knees and bent forwards in a respectful bow. Her forehead touched the cold floor. ¡°Please, sir,¡± Ai breathed, hoping only for her and the girls to come out of this alive. ¡°Please help us, sir.¡±


    Ai peeked to the sides at Nana and Ri. Seeing their leader in a respectful position, the two quickly followed suit. Their previous plan to scare their new neighbors was now long forgotten.


    ¡°We are girls from Hikizu village,¡± Ai explained. ¡°But no one remembers us because we¡¯ve been under a witch¡¯s spell for four years.¡±


    ¡°I can tell.¡± spoke the wizard. ¡°There is a certain magical energy within all of you. You girls live double lives. I see more energies outside the house¡­ four more. There are seven of you.¡±


    Ai reddened in shame. ¡°Yes.¡± So the wizard could already sense their ambush before it had begun. The three girls trembled before the wizard¡¯s feet. ¡°Please remove the spell on us.¡± Ai begged. ¡°If your good heart may feel it, please help us.¡±


    Rothbart leaned back and seemed to think deeply. ¡°When the sun rises, you are cranes,¡± he said out-loud. ¡°And when the sun goes down, you guys are girls...¡±


    ¡°Is there a way to break this cycle?¡± whispered Ai.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Rothbart nodded. ¡°Magic is only a kind of science. To break a spell, we only need to reverse it.¡±


    ¡°Revers¡­?¡± Ai furrowed her brow with concern. ¡°But I don¡¯t know the original spell.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no special incantation for any spells,¡± laughed Rothbart. ¡°Just intention.¡± His yellow eyes glinted as if the wizard could see something the girls didn¡¯t. ¡°What was the witch¡¯s purpose for casting this spell on you?¡± He directed the question towards Ai.


    Ai had to think for a minute. She remembered asking the Hakusei to help them. They¡¯d asked to fly from the flames. Freedom from fire. Freedom.


    ¡°We wanted to be free,¡± Ai replied. She looked up and squarely stared back into the wizard¡¯s yellow eyes. ¡°The purpose was so that we can be free.¡±


    Wizards, witches, those who used magic and wore the face of a human didn¡¯t have a good reputation. It was why the identity and existence of her sister as a daughter of the Torizora family was hidden. It was why her sister was never given a name. Just a title, Hakusei, meaning, the White Fairy, because her parents had wanted their daughter to be pure. But Ai could sense now that this wizard was like the devil playing with his food. The girls had fallen into his trap.


    The man twirled his hat and placed it on the black, wooden table decorated with red flowers Ai didn¡¯t know the name of. ¡°A witch cast a spell on you so that you can be free,¡± said he. ¡°Yes, I know how to break the spell which you must do by reversing it. To reverse a spell, you must reverse the intention.¡±


    Ai swallowed the bile that was building up in her throat. Nana and Ri¡¯s grip by her side grew tighter.


    ¡°I think you girls are intelligent enough to understand what I¡¯m saying.¡± said the wizard. ¡°But I will spell it out for you. If flying is freedom, you must remain chained to the soil. If escapism is what you wished for, you must find yourself trapped.¡±


    ¡°For how long?¡± challenged Ai. ¡°For how long will you chain us?¡± She said this because she knew from the sly look of the man, that he would do all the cruel work.


    ¡°For how long have you been a bird?¡± demanded the man. ¡°Four years. It¡¯ll take that long. Then on the last day of reversal, the sun will rise and your human form will remain.¡±


    Nana collapsed in a sob. Ri buried her face into the folds of Ai¡¯s soiled and faded kimono. Ai also mourned. Four more years as cranes. Four long years. Then finally, finally, they might be free. There was no one else they could ask for help. The girls were at the mercy of a wizard. Perhaps he would be good to them.


    Ai stood, and bowed in polite thanks. ¡°We are indebted to you.¡± She held out her wrists, prepared for a chain to clasp them together.


    The wizard shook his head. ¡°I will create a barrier so that you cannot leave your lake. I will make the wind dull and the air too heavy for your wings to fly. But I will not tie your wrists.¡± He smiled. ¡°I am not a demon.¡±


    Ai was too afraid to smile back, but she released a sigh of relief.

 Eight - Odilia

    ¡°Was that the truth?¡± Odilia demanded to Erwin as he entered the back parlor. ¡°What you said to them about reversing the spell.¡± She¡¯d leap from her agitated sitting on the black couch to chase after her adoptive father as he disappeared around the corner to set aside his long coat and hat.


    Erwin shook his head. ¡°No, of course not. As the caster, only you can break the spell.¡±


    Odilia frowned. ¡°Then why¡¯d you say all that?¡±


    ¡°Why did you tell me of those girls becoming human at night? Was it not so that I could help you keep their secret?¡±


    Odilia bit her upper lip.


    Erwin sighed as he lowered onto the velvet cushion of the couch. ¡°I don¡¯t see why you¡¯re so worried,¡± he motioned for Odilia to join him in sitting down. ¡°This way, the girls will stay safe and unseen under your watch.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Odilia cried, still standing. ¡°They¡¯ll obviously recognize me.¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± Erwin shrugged as he lazily waved his gloved hand; a bottle of white wine and a glass flew in and landed on the coffee table before him in response. ¡°Maybe they will,¡± Erwin said, tugging on his necktie as the wine poured itself into the glass. ¡°Or maybe they won¡¯t. You have magic at your disposal. Use what I¡¯ve taught you to disguise yourself.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t right,¡± said Odilia.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Odilia finally gave in and flopped down next to Erwin on the black-colored couch. ¡°I wish the whole reversal thing was the truth,¡± she sighed. Then after a slight pause she asked, ¡°What kind of name is Rothbart, anyways?¡±


    Erwin leaned back and looked up at the dark ceiling. A smile tugged at his lips. ¡°It was my father¡¯s self-proclaimed nickname. I thought I¡¯d borrow it.¡±


    Odilia didn¡¯t mind much for this conversation, but she felt she had to distract herself from the gut-wrenching feeling that was eating at her insides. ¡°What does it mean?¡± She hugged a decorative pillow close to her heart.


    Erwin glanced at his daughter. ¡°You want to know the meaning behind the name? Rothbart?¡± He took a long swig from his wine and began to pour another glass. ¡°Red beard.¡±


    Odilia shook her head to clear her mind. ¡°Sorry?¡±


    Erwin smiled. ¡°That¡¯s what it means,¡± he shrugged as he took another sip of his wine. ¡°Red beard.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Odilia sank into the soft cushioning of the couch. ¡°Why would he want to name himself that?¡± Then she thought to joke, saying, ¡°Are red beards special where you come from? Should I name myself red-head now that I have red hair?¡±


    Erwin chuckled. ¡°My father¡¯s mane of hair was no special thing. He was just oddly very proud of it. If you¡¯d like to know, his nickname used to be Tuft.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like a story.¡±


    Erwin smiled. ¡°It is.¡±


    Odilia tucked in her legs and got comfortable. ¡°Well, are you going to tell it to me?¡±


    ¡°The story of my father?¡±


    Odilia nodded her head. ¡°Since he¡¯s technically my grandfather now,¡± she shrugged like it was a matter-of-fact.


    Erwin leaned back and arched an eyebrow. ¡°Ohhh. So now that I¡¯ve taught you some magic, you¡¯re begging for some family history too?¡±


    ¡°I have the right.¡±


    ¡°You do.¡± the doctor agreed. ¡°But the story is very short. My mother was the one who told me. She said your grandfather used to have just a tuft of hair. I think it was my mother¡¯s way of saying he was ugly because she didn¡¯t marry him until he grew a full head.¡±


    ¡°All babies and old people have tufts for hair,¡± argued Odilia. ¡°And some unlucky children, I guess.¡±


    ¡°And in my father¡¯s case, some unlucky twenty-some year old adults,¡± added Erwin. ¡°But one day he became so very gorgeous that my mother took his hand and accepted him immediately.¡±


    ¡°Wow. I wonder what medicine he used on his hair,¡± Odilia said out-loud.


    ¡°My mother said the same thing while telling me his story,¡± laughed the doctor.


    ¡°Your father didn¡¯t say?¡±


    ¡°Your grandfather hated this story, hated his nickname. Having people call him Rothbart was his way of covering up his past.¡±


    Odilia remained silent.


    ¡°Or so I assume,¡± Erwin looked at Odilia and gave her head a pat. ¡°Father never told me anything, so I would only know as far as my mother said.¡±


    Odilia smiled and tilted her head. ¡°So where are grandma and grandpa now?¡±


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    ¡°The grave, currently.¡± Erwin released a snort when he saw Odilia¡¯s startled expression. ¡°But I suppose that¡¯s not what you wanted to know,¡± he quickly added. ¡°Iyll is the country I come from. It¡¯s right above Gris.¡±


    ¡°Ill?¡± Odilia repeated, the pronunciation rolling awkwardly on her tongue. ¡°Grease?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s pronounced like eel,¡± Erwin explained. ¡°I¡¯ll take you there some time. And as for Gris,¡± he chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s what we foreigners call Kuroba.¡±


    Odilia yawned. ¡°Okay.¡±


    Erwin ushered her to bed afterwards. Odilia didn¡¯t complain. For the first time since returning to Hikizu village, her mind had wandered away from the red-crowned cranes in the lake.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Odilia received a letter from the Kigoguchi orphanage. It was from Emiko, noted as the last letter she would send before leaving the orphanage.


    Erwin had picked it up for Odilia from the town post because she wasn¡¯t yet brave enough to show face in case someone recognized her. Erwin didn¡¯t push for her to go even though Odilia could have just worn a veil to cover her face.


    In the letter, Emiko wrote her final farewells and addressed that she had finally accepted that her parents would not come back to pick her up. Odilia felt sympathy as this came from the optimistic friend who always believed that her parents would one day return. Emiko¡¯s written enthusiasm didn¡¯t seem to dwindle however, because the rest of the letter was a ramble on all the places Emiko would finally get to visit. Emiko said she would find a place in Toukuhai, the capital of Kuroba, where she hoped to find work.


    Emiko¡¯s letter mentioned that her friend, Merlin, who¡¯d lived at the orphanage until the year before they¡¯d met Odilia, now held a respectable position in the capital. Emiko gushed happily that Merlin had offered to help her. After reading an entire paragraph dedicated to praising Merlin, Odilia began to guess that Emiko might have a small crush.


    The last sentences of the letter wrote that Arthur and Lancelot were still at the orphanage and were waiting for Odilia¡¯s next visit. Emiko also wrote that she expected to see Odilia more often since they now only lived one town away.


    Odilia tapped her quill pen thoughtfully while scripting a reply. She liked the idea of visiting a friend a lot.


    Although it¡¯d only been a month since arriving in Hikizu village, Odilia felt cooped up and stale in her new home. Erwin will soon finish his medical work in this village, so when it''s time for him to move on and continue down to Makigawa, Odilia began to think that maybe she could take the time to go to the capital and visit her friends. Odilia folded her letter into an envelope and placed it on the edge of her desk. She would ask Erwin later.


    Odilia placed her head on the window¡¯s glass pane and peeked out the folds of the curtain where she could see the seven cranes below. They flocked aimlessly. None cried or attempted to soar in the sky. Tame.


    Odilia supposed that was exactly how it should be. Outsiders who viewed these birds would think nothing of them. Even Odilia thought to herself that she could convince herself to forget. They were identical. She couldn¡¯t even recognize which one was her sister.


    A knock sounded on her door. Odilia looked up to see Erwin leaning against the doorframe. ¡°Lunch is ready.¡±


    Erwin had made butter noodles.


    ¡°I thought something simple now would be best,¡± Erwin said, as he placed two atomic plates on the table and settled himself into a chair across from Odilia. ¡°We¡¯re having guests later.¡±


    ¡°Guests?¡± Odilia assumed that it must be his close clients.


    ¡°Not clients,¡± Erwin said as if he¡¯d read her mind. ¡°Friends.¡±


    Odilia had never heard of Erwin¡¯s friends before. ¡°Are they from Iyll?¡± She referred to Erwin¡¯s home-country.


    ¡°No,¡± Erwin shook his head. ¡°Not my friends. Yours.¡±


    Odilia looked up from her plate in surprise. ¡°Okay, who?¡± Then after thinking, ¡°Are they staying overnight?¡±


    Erwin nodded. ¡°At an inn out in town.¡±


    Good. Odilia didn¡¯t want anyone, especially anyone she knew, asking her about the cranes that turned into girls after midnight.


    ¡°So who''s coming to visit?¡± Odilia asked again.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting there,¡± the doctor held up a finger. ¡°But first, are you happy?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an odd question,¡± Odilia shoved food into her mouth.


    ¡°I suppose my announcing that you stay here while I move on shocked you.¡±


    Odilia looked up at her father with a look that signified her saying, ¡®you don¡¯t say¡¯.


    Erwin coughed into a gloved fist. ¡°And we had that thing with the cranes.¡±


    Odilia swallowed. ¡°Yup.¡±


    Erwin dabbed his whiskers with a handkerchief and set it down, leaning forwards. ¡°So here¡¯s what, I want to be flexible with you.¡± He folded his hands as if he were preparing to talk business.


    Odilia nodded. ¡°So I can continue traveling with you, right? Because we never had a discussion before this and if you want to be flexible, we can start here.¡±


    Erwin sighed. ¡°Odilia,¡± he warned.


    ¡°Sir,¡± Odilia replied around a mouthful of pasta. ¡°With all due respect, unless you count surprising me with a brand new house and demanding that I stay here, a discussion, we had none¡±


    Erwin pointed his fork at her, his elbow on the table. ¡°And if I don¡¯t dare say so myself, I¡¯d say it was a fantastic birthday present.¡±


    Odilia frowned, setting down her fork. ¡°You¡¯re dodging my question.¡±


    Erwin ignored her and continued, ¡°You know, when I was your age, a house of my own was exactly what I wanted.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said you were going to be flexible.¡± Odilia folded her arms, her voice was turning into a whine.


    ¡°Flexible, not lenient.¡± Erwin corrected. ¡°So I specifically invited Emiko since I heard that she¡¯s left the orphanage. Both of you are now young adults¡­ I think you two could use each other¡¯s company.¡±


    ¡°Is this something you¡¯ve been planning for a while?¡± demanded Odilia. ¡°Nevermind,¡± she quickly brushed the question off. ¡°Obviously you did, because otherwise nothing makes sense. I just got a letter from Emiko today.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± Erwin sipped from a sugary mug filled with hot coffee, the color of toffee.


    Odilia slouched. ¡°You should¡¯ve told me.¡±


    ¡°I just did.¡±


    ¡°I mean earlier. For how long is she staying?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Erwin coughed again. ¡°You¡¯re both leaving tomorrow.¡± Then he added, ¡°By carriage.¡±


    Odilia clenched her fists beneath the table. She¡¯d never felt so overwhelmingly angry in her life. ¡°Any other surprises?¡± she asked mockingly through clenched teeth.


    ¡°Yes, actually.¡± Erwin said as a matter of fact. ¡°Emiko is bringing a friend from the capital when she comes. Apparently they were raised in Kigoguchi orphanage as well.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± Odilia stood and pushed in her chair behind the dining room table. She was not in a mood to meet new people. What Odilia really wanted to do was fall onto her bed and just stay there. But she forced herself to open her mouth so that she could politely excuse herself before she would begrudgingly pack her belongings.

 Nine - Odilia

    ¡°Welcome!¡± Erwin was grinning with all of his teeth as the front door opened to two expected guests. ¡°Come in, please come in.¡±


    Odilia sidled next to her adoptive father and eyed his forced enthusiasm which she decided did not suit the doctor¡¯s usual calm and stoic aura. ¡°Va¡¯ti¡­¡± she warned, using the name Erwin had given himself for her to call. It translated to ¡®father¡¯ in Erwin¡¯s mother language.


    ¡°Lili!¡± Emiko pounced into Odilia¡¯s arms in a warm embrace, abandoning the indoor slippers she was offered to wear by Erwin. ¡°I missed you!¡± Then she pulled back immediately and lightly brushed her fingers against Odilia¡¯s red hair which was pulled up in a bun with ornaments. ¡°Your hair¡­¡± Emiko breathed in awe. It was the first time her friend had seen Odilia since the change in color. ¡°It¡¯s beautiful, it suits you.¡±


    Odilia laughed lightly. ¡°I missed you too.¡±


    Emiko grabbed both of Odilia¡¯s gloved hands with an ecstatic smile plastered onto her face. Her cheeks were blush pink, her brown hair windswept from travel. Her eyes, which were a lighter shade of brown than most Kurobans, sparkled. ¡°We are going to have sooooo much fun in Toukuhai.¡± Emiko leaned in. ¡°Did I mention, the food is delicious?¡± Then she slapped Odilia¡¯s shoulder lightly saying, ¡°Of course you know that already, you travel alllll the time!¡±


    Before Odilia could reply, Emiko hooked her left arm over Odilia¡¯s shoulder, her smaller stature forcing Odilia into a hunched back, and steered her away from the front door. ¡°Lili, listen,¡± said Emiko, her voice lowered in a hush-hush sort of way. ¡°Eye-candy behind us, you¡¯re welcome.¡± While like many things that came from Emiko¡¯s mouth, this also did not make sense, but Odilia turned back towards the door anyways where Emiko had motioned to with her pupils.


    A young, lean-built man stood there in a crisp, blue kimono. His dark brown hair, which reached his neck, was half pulled back in  a bun. The man had round, almond eyes that were downturned like a fox, but it gave him an approachable look thanks to his straight dark brows and long lashes. What caught Odilia¡¯s eyes were his pink lips however, which stretched into dimples on both sides of his mouth as he returned her stare with a small smile. Odilia blushed.


    Basically, from Odilia¡¯s point of view, who she saw was the most handsome man she¡¯d ever seen.


    Actually, that was a lie.


    Odilia corrected her thoughts, remembering that on countless events where she was traveling around Kuroba with Erwin, there were many handsome and beautiful people gracing the soil. And just like that, her cheeks cooled to a dull shade.


    Odilia brushed away invisible dust from her dress and plastered the most polite smile she could muster. ¡°Hello, you must be a friend of Emiko¡¯s.¡± She bowed politely like a host would to their guest in Kuroba.


    Emiko hopped back towards the handsome stranger and hugged him by the arm. ¡°Lili, meet Merlin!¡± she grinned. Emiko looked up at Merlin, her pink cheeks reddening as their eyes met as she said, ¡°Merlin, this is Odilia.¡±


    Odilia choked, holding back a snort. Clearly Emiko was smitten by this man as well.


    ¡°In. All of you.¡± Erwin rushed the three teens down the hallway, abandoning his forced comedic smile. ¡°The food will get cold.¡±


    Odilia shook the teenage romance from her head and led the guests to the dining-room table.


    ¡°I hope the food is to your liking,¡± said Erwin, as he set down a tray topped with a steaming pan that wafted with goodness and two other contents that looked equally delicious. ¡°Today we have casserole, soup, and salad. Thought we couldn¡¯t go wrong with those three.¡± He winked at Emiko who¡¯d already picked up her silverware and was regarding the feast impatiently. Odilia rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get the recipe?¡± asked Merlin. It was the first he¡¯d spoken since exchanging pleasantries.


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Erwin seemed to like this question. ¡°Well,¡± he started, seating himself down. ¡°I created my own recipe, but the dish is based on one originally from Iyll.¡± He swept his arms over the table and arched a dark eyebrow. ¡°Shall we?¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    After the meal and custard pudding for dessert, Erwin left the table, claiming he had work to finish by tomorrow. Odilia sat opposite Merlin and Emiko, twiddling her thumbs and smiling, hopefully, as Emiko rambled on from story to story about memories each of them shared.


    ¡°There was that time when Lance,¡± then Emiko looked at Merlin. ¡°You remember Lancelot, don¡¯t you? Well,¡± she continued when he gave her a nod. ¡°There was a time when he, Lance, of course, kissed a toad on dare because Miri said it¡¯ll turn into a princess. Like he was only eight then, but even I knew at that age that that only works on frogs,¡± she released a snort. ¡°And now we know that doesn¡¯t work at all in real life.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Merlin agreed.


    ¡°What should we do first when we arrive at the capital?¡± Emiko changed the subject.


    ¡°I¡¯m taking a cold bath after all that traveling and going back to work.¡± Merlin didn¡¯t even take time to think. Odilia found that side of him charming. She had to suppress over-smiling, if that was a thing.


    Odilia rested her chin in the cup of her hand. ¡°Right, you work at the palace, don¡¯t you? When would you have time to show us around?¡± She asked this because Merlin had come in order to offer himself up as a guide and after what he¡¯d said earlier during their meal, his time didn¡¯t seem to be so flexible.


    ¡°The prince will be celebrating his twenty-first birthday soon so I¡¯ll have four days of leniency next week during preparations.¡± Merlin explained.


    ¡°Four days of leniency? What¡¯s that?¡± In all the time Odilia had traveled with Erwin, she hadn¡¯t heard of anyone referring to their days off as days of leniency. Which made Odilia wonder if they were days off at all.


    Merlin scratched the back of his head. ¡°That just means they¡¯re more lenient to what I do on those days,¡± he explained.


    ¡°So not actual days off?¡± Odilia voiced her guess.


    ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t sweat,¡± Merlin added to Odilia¡¯s widened eyes. ¡°I really am not needed on those days. Just party preparations, you see?¡±


    ¡°Merlin~¡± Emiko hit him lightly. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so before? You¡¯re totally being overworked. You could have used those days to sleep in¡­Maybe I should scold your boss for you.¡±


    Merlin grinned. Those dimples. ¡°Even if my boss were the prince?¡±


    Emiko gasped, hands flying to her mouth. ¡°No. Freaking. Way.¡±


    Merlin smirked.


    Emiko looked at Odilia and pointed a thumb at Merlin with her eyebrows raised and mouth shaped in an ¡®O¡¯ as if to say ¡°This guy.¡±


    Odilia leaned forwards towards Merlin. ¡°So what¡¯s your job, exactly?¡± she asked, genuinely curious.


    However, before Merlin could reply, Erwin shuffled back into the dining room, announcing that it was now dark out and the guests should leave for the night. Sure enough, when Odilia glanced up at the grand clock, the hand spoke for half-past eleven o¡¯clock. Odilia pushed to her feet and motioned for the door.


    ¡°Thank you for coming all this way,¡± chirped Odilia.


    Emiko nodded her head as she shuffled to gather her stuff. ¡°It was fun!¡± Then at the door, ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± Merlin left without many words and bowed politely before the door closed.


    When father and daughter could see the backs of their guests in the distance, they released matching sighs of relief. Odilia glanced up at Erwin, Erwin, at Odilia.


    Erwin¡¯s eyes glowed its yellow hue. ¡°That was close.¡±


    Odilia grimaced. She¡¯d been caught by the flow of conversation that she¡¯d forgotten to check the time.


    In less than an hour, the cranes resting in the lake by the side of her house, would be girls.

 Ten - Odilia

    Odilia arrived in the capital of Kuroba by carriage with Merlin and Emiko the following night. When she woke the next day, she was surprised, but felt at home lying on a thin futon splayed on the bamboo floors in the morning.


    Odilia¡¯s stay in Toukuhai wasn¡¯t going to be as long as Erwin first described it to be. She only had a week before Erwin would move on to Makigawa and she would return home to watch over the birds.


    Emiko wasted no time and created a tourist plan for the two of them. As promised, handsome Merlin was there also.


    The night before, Odilia had teased Emiko for having a crush and Emiko admitted to liking him saying, ¡°Of course I like him, I have eyes!¡± So now every time Merlin looked away, Odilia wiggled her eyebrows at her friend and whispered childish comments.


    ¡°Eye-candy, you say,¡± Odilia snickered. ¡°Is he the medicine to your illness too?¡±


    Emiko shoved her. ¡°You are so not funny.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re smiling.¡±


    Emiko rolled her eyes. ¡°Your words don''t even make sense.¡±


    Besides their playful bickering and shared admiration for Merlin¡¯s hotness, Odilia truly felt free since becoming an adult. She finally got to admire the capital city without having to rush through it with the beck and call of Erwin¡¯s job as she usually did.


    For starters, the architecture of the city was beautiful. The houses weren¡¯t clumped so close together and had vibrant green lanes of grass. Some people had front yards where flowers, or even fruits and vegetables would blossom. Some houses weren¡¯t houses, but apartments, tiny houses stacked upon each other one after another. The market, in contrast, was overly crowded, but in a beautiful way with various shades of colors. Odilia enjoyed the buzz of noise and people whose lives were so far away and different from hers.


    Someone bumped into her. Odilia looked down and saw a girl. Her hair was long and black with short bangs parted down the middle. The girl wore a sakura pink kimono. She looked like Ai before Ai became a crane. Odilia frowned.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Emiko tugged on Odilia¡¯s kimono sleeve. ¡°We¡¯re late.¡±


    Odilia had stopped in her tracks so she now hurried to catch up to her friends. The three were on their way to see a play staged in the public theatre.


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    The story told at the play was the story of Hannya, a youkai or ghost story about a woman whose evil nature turns her into a beast. Emiko bought them matching masks of Hannya''s face after the play.


    ¡°Why?¡± Odilia demanded, holding up the grotesque snarl framed by tall horns and pointed ears.


    Emiko put her mask on, decorating it to the side of her head like an ornament. ¡°Why not? It¡¯s fun.¡±


    After four days, Merlin¡¯s lenient days of work were over so for the rest of the week, the girls went shopping.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get new fabric for kimono!¡± suggested Emiko.


    ¡°Sure,¡± said Odilia. ¡°As long as they¡¯re cheap.¡± Odilia hadn¡¯t cared much for the fabric of her clothing in the past, and she¡¯d cared less after experiencing four years of constant travel. When on the move, you learn to value comfort over trends. Most days, Odilia just wore men¡¯s clothing. Erwin didn¡¯t mind.


    The market place was bursting with more people than usual. When Odilia and Emiko reached the stand that sold bundles of cotton and silk, women and girls were wrestling over the little that was left.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Emiko demanded the store owner. She had to yell a little to get heard over the noise. In response, the store owner pointed to a pamflet nailed to a post. Similar notices were plastered on the walls of nearby buildings or billboard stands of various businesses. Odilia couldn¡¯t make out the whole paper, but one line was bold and clear.


    ¡°His highness¡¯s birthday celebration¡­¡± Emiko squinted. ¡°...and we¡¯re all invited!?¡± she squeaked the last one in a bite. ¡°Why didn¡¯t Merlin say anything?¡±


    Odilia poked her arm. ¡°The days of leniency, remember?¡±


    Emiko took her gloved hand in reply. ¡°Girl, we can not shop here.¡± Emiko scooted away from the small shop, driving Odilia away too.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that shop besides it having only two colors left to choose?¡± wondered Odilia. ¡°It¡¯s not like the prince would actually see us.¡±


    ¡°But all the other eligible bachelors in this country would,¡± said Emiko. ¡°Everyone is invited. And by that, I mean, everyone.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Odilia crossed her arms. ¡°I thought you moved to the capital to get a job.¡±


    ¡°And get married, buy a house, and have children.¡± Emiko added. ¡°You know, so I actually have a life.¡±


    ¡°Ehhh¡­¡± Odilia didn¡¯t exactly agree with that opinion. A life wouldn¡¯t chain someone down to one person, place, or thing. Life meant flight, freedom and movement. Like traveling the world instead of staying cooped up in a house. Odilia was thinking of Erwin¡¯s recent decisions for her. Odilia leaned back so she could better see her friend. ¡°I guess Merlin would be there, but he already knows what you look like.¡±


    Emiko harrumphed and flipped a lock of silky brown hair behind her back. ¡°More the reason to have him see me all dressed up. Besides, I¡¯m not betting my chances with Merlin, Lili. There¡¯s a difference between husband-material and eye-candy.¡±


    ¡°There is?¡±


    Emiko nodded.


    ¡°Oh.¡±

 Eleven - Kenta

    Merlin¡¯s name wasn¡¯t actually Merlin, at least not to some people. At the palace he was Kenta Kenjiya. (In Kuroba where the last name is recited first, it would be Kenjiya Kenta). He was the one and only.


    ¡°You actually took your days of leniency off!¡± the prince exclaimed with foolhardy excitement as he plopped onto a sofa in the lounge and disgracefully kicked off his slippers. Kenta, as Merlin would be called within the palace, was sitting on that exact same sofa so it was quite uncomfortable.


    ¡°Please lower your legs,¡± Kenta said. He was eyeing the pink flesh of the prince¡¯s exposed toes in disgust as he said this.


    ¡°Where¡¯d you go?¡± the prince asked, ignoring him. ¡°Did you finally get yourself a girlfriend?¡± Then he gasped, jumping into a proper sitting position, body leaning forwards towards Kenta. He was ignoring the fact that Kenta was busy filing paperwork that the prince should have finished two days ago. ¡°Is it that girl!?¡± the prince asked.


    ¡°Which one?¡±


    The prince gasped once more, this time, more genuine.


    Kenta risked a sideways glance and broke his serious mask with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯m kidding.¡± He set the paperwork down and folded his arms, turning his full body towards the prince. ¡°You were spying on me instead of doing your work again, weren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± but the prince wasn¡¯t even trying to hide his widening grin.


    Kenta scoffed. ¡°When I¡¯m around, you run off to play with girls or frolic in the woods with your bow and arrows. When I¡¯m not around, you go poking your nose looking for me.¡± Kenta shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t understand you.¡±


    ¡°Well I understand you.¡± The prince leaned in, forcing Kenta to lean back. A lock of the prince¡¯s raven-black hair fell over his eye, casting a shadow over the prince¡¯s playful expression like a limp, squid-ink noodle.


    ¡°Listen up, future shogun,¡± chortled the prince.


    Kenta sighed and folded his arms.


    At Kenta¡¯s unimpressed expression, the prince¡¯s stern brows furrowed deeper. ¡°You¡¯re better than any of the shogun¡¯s real sons, so get used to these speeches of mine,¡± scolded the prince as if he weren¡¯t acting like a child earlier.


    When he spoke of the shogun¡¯s current sons, the prince was referring to the sons of the current head of the Kenjiya family. The Kenjiya family shogun, bearing the symbol of a sword and snake, was one of two shogunates appointed by the crown. The title of the shogun was passed down each generation in the family to the succeeding head of the family. The shogun was generally the eldest son, but the title favored whoever wielded their weapon the best. Although adopted, and not a blood relative to the shogun, Kenta was a likely candidate.


    The prince rolled his eyes at Kenta¡¯s disapproving stare. ¡°Okay, if not the shogun, then Wannabe Apprentice.¡±


    Kenta¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°When did I ever say I wanted to be an apprentice?


    The prince huffed. ¡°Ever since you caught my mother¡¯s attention, she¡¯s been plotting your career as a scholar. Your statement on the economic decline in Hikizu village was phenomenal,¡± the prince simpered.


    Kenta fell back against the hood of the couch. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯ve also written all the other things that I was supposed to write,¡± the prince added.


    ¡°Then why are you sulking as if it were my fault?¡± demanded Kenta as he began picking at the stack of paper before him.


    The prince wrapped an arm around Kenta¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Because I get sad when all my friend does is work like a robot.¡± He shed a fake tear. ¡°So sad.¡±


    ¡°As your bodyguard,¡± Kenta said with emphasis as he removed the prince¡¯s arm from around his shoulders. ¡°What I find most sad is the fact that you still think I¡¯m here because I want to.¡±


    The prince poked him playfully, wiggling his eyebrows. ¡°You didn¡¯t deny being my friend!¡±


    Kenta grimaced. ¡°You know what, your highness?¡± He picked up the stack of paperwork and placed it on the prince¡¯s lap. ¡°You can think whatever you want as long as you let me do my job,¡± he stood up, ¡°and you do yours.¡±


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Prince Saihi, his full name being Saihi Seihi, wasn¡¯t always a lazy jerk. Or so Kenta¡¯s fuzzy memories claimed it to be. His brain tended to retain random moments rather than important qualities, like the fact that the prince and Kenta had first bonded over their aspiration to become pirates. It wasn¡¯t their aspiration when they had first met; the prince was already sixteen years old and Kenta was thirteen, but when their conversation rounded to the past, the prince asked Kenta if he would be his best mate. Kenta had said, ¡°yes¡±.


    Now Kenta was having second thoughts about that simple vow. Saihi was turning into his worst princely self. Between skipping board meetings and partying all night, even when the prince was becoming twenty-one this year, he still acted like a wild runt.


    Leaving the prince alone in the parlor except for the dozen bodyguards stationed around that very room, Kenta headed towards the training room to practice his sword. A pair of maids passed him, heads bent, whispering. Kenta could make out the words ¡°his highness¡±, ¡°celebration¡±, and ¡°gay¡±. Kenta felt his temples throb. Kenta had been trying to forget the one rumor that spun within the palace. The rumor that the prince liked men.


    Kenta personally had nothing against the idea of the prince pursuing that sort of relationship. But he did not like how the rumors involved himself. Nor did he like the fact that the queen had personally requested him to her side just to tell him to watch over the prince to make sure he fell in love with a respectable woman. To Kenta¡¯s great annoyance, the queen had performed an excellent speech over the prince¡¯s responsibilities to producing the next crown heir. Finding a wife for the crown prince shouldn¡¯t be the responsibility of a samurai.


    Kenta hurried away into the courtyard and drew a wooden sword that he¡¯d picked from the training bin. He¡¯ll practice his swing and forget all nonsense.


    Unwittingly, Kenta¡¯s mind wandered to the prince¡¯s upcoming birthday celebration next week. He wondered if Odilia would show up at all. Unlikely, he thought, since she¡¯d just have left for home. Kenta paused midswing. What did Odilia¡¯s attendance mean to him anyways?


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    On the day of the prince¡¯s birthday banquet, the palace walls were full of noise, but to Kenta¡¯s satisfaction, the prince wasn¡¯t the one creating all the ruckus.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Kenta took his position standing besides the prince as his bodyguard, and risked a glance towards Prince Saihi. Sitting on plush cushions in ceremonial silks and heavy fabrics, Kenta chuckled to himself when he noticed what might have kept the prince tame: a bottle of white rice soju hidden in the folds of the prince¡¯s garments.


    A couple yard spans worth of visitors stood waiting in line to greet the royal prince on his birthday and Kenta watched from beside as Saihi occasionally waved his hand in drunken bemusement, which was luckily seen by most, as  royal acknowledgement.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Saihi motioned for Kenta after their previous visitor left in a multitude of continuous bows. The other four guards that stood alongside the prince stepped forwards to block the oncoming crowd, noticing that their prince would like a moment with his right-hand man. Kenta lowered his torso to the side to lend Saihi an ear.


    ¡°Yes, your highness?¡± he tried to contain a nagging irritation as this day belonged to the prince.


    Saihi waved a hand in front of his face as if swatting at a fly and squinted at nowhere in particular. He was so clearly drunk. Kenta only hoped people mistook the pink of the prince¡¯s cheeks as warmth from the daytime heat. ¡°Listen,¡± the prince whispered. ¡°When Mother comes, you greet her in my stead.¡± When Kenta began to shake his head, the prince added, ¡°I can¡¯t feel my legs.¡±


    Kenta grimaced and whispered back, ¡°I still can¡¯t do that for you.¡± Kenta motioned for a nearby servant and asked for water to be brought. ¡°Continue smiling and sober up enough to greet her majesty.¡±


    Saihi rolled his eyes and sulked. ¡°Party pooper.¡± Kenta ignored him and went back to an upwards position, facing the grand outdoor courtyard where guests of every class streamed in wearing their best clothes. His eyes just happened to land on Odilia as she and Emiko walked through the ornamental gates.


    Emiko noticed Kenta watching them in the distance first, and waved. Kenta didn¡¯t think it appropriate to wave at someone in the crowds while on guard-duty, so he plastered on his best professional smile, hoping it didn¡¯t look like a grimace, as Emiko led Odilia through the sea of visitors. They didn¡¯t get very far because halfway through the line, angry voices arose towards the two girls for cutting between the procession of visitors hoping to greet the prince.


    Kenta hoped he wasn¡¯t cringing when Odilia leaned over and whispered to Emiko who now seemed to notice the prince sitting beside their friend. Emiko¡¯s eyes looked for Kenta¡¯s and met. He could feel his cheeks growing hot. He hadn¡¯t told them in what position he worked for the prince. He found himself avoiding Odilia¡¯s yellow hued irises when she looked up at him. Odilia led Emiko back to the end of the line.


    With the endless amount of visitors, the line may have been a thirty minute long wait, but soon Kenta found himself before Emiko and Odilia. Odilia wore an orange colored kimono that depicted koi fish and waves that looked like bursts of sunlight. Emiko¡¯s was similar, but instead of fish, her kimono had flowers. The clothing depicting suns was fitting in that it celebrated the birth of the sun of Kuroba, the crown prince. Emiko and Odilia bowed and presented wrapped gifts to the sobering prince. Emiko didn¡¯t even glance at Kenta while leaving but Odilia¡¯s yellow eyes caught Kenta¡¯s before she descended down the steps. A pitless feeling that Kenta couldn¡¯t make out entered his stomach.


    Kenta didn¡¯t have time to process this newfound unease because suddenly, the great big doors of the inner palace burst open and grand music sounded as a procession emerged.


    The empress¡¯s ladies in waiting, daughters of the daimyo and shogunates of Kuroba, emerged in rows of silk and paper fans. Following them were the small children of the palace officials throwing flower petals in tune to the orchestra music which changed to the beat of the grand procession. Then loud trumpets and drums began to sound as two figures appeared at the center of the rectangular doorway.


    Hanan and Katsumi were the prince¡¯s two cousins, twin daughters to the queen¡¯s dead sister. They treated the palace as if it were their own. Not in the childish way of wielding the palace wealth as they pleased; although they did it often, but in the way that the servants would take their words as those of royalty.


    And the twins were old. Not in the way that they grew wrinkles, but old for their time as marriageable women as they¡¯d last celebrated their twenty-ninth birthday. Kenta suspected by the hungry way they always looked at Saihi¡¯s crown, that in the same way they treated the palace staff as their own, they wanted his throne too.


    ¡°Hanan! Katsumi!¡± The prince greeted them warmly with his arms outstretched. The twins politely bowed and presented their gifts, then fluttered away just as elegantly as they¡¯d come with their fans shielding their faces. Kenta turned his head as trumpets and drums sounded their march once more. The queen entered.


    ¡°Can you stand?¡± Kenta whispered to the prince without turning.


    ¡°I¡¯m up,¡± replied the prince. He sounded convincingly sober.


    The empress smiled, her pearly whites gleaming as she glided towards them. She wore a kimono, red like the afternoon heat. Her black hair was twisted high and adorned with crowns. The entire room seemed to bend and flow with her movement, the hearts of the people pounding with each step from their beloved ruler. She was a powerful force, an empress respected for the prowess of leadership after her husband''s untimely death.


    She was the mother of the empire¡¯s future emperor, but she¡¯d also served as mother to this nation. Crowds fell before her, muttering thanks. Hands, commoner hands reached out, but the empress did not shy away and even looked into the people¡¯s adoring eyes. The empress finally reached the prince¡¯s perch.


    Energy hung between mother and son. Then the empress¡¯s red lips curled into a grin that matched Saihi¡¯s. ¡°Shall we talk?¡± No formal greeting was needed between family. They could not embrace like a normal son and mother, being that both were royalty and the entire kingdom was watching, but the prince moved to his mother¡¯s side so that she could take his arm. ¡°Wait.¡± The empress stopped mid-stride. ¡°I forgot, I first wish for you to see my gift.¡±


    The empress¡¯s servants rushed forward with an adorned cart. Something awaited beneath a red, silk cloth. ¡°Open it,¡± the empress urged.


    Kenta watched as the prince inched forwards, then after checking to see his mother¡¯s approval, tore the cloth off the cart like he were a little boy. A gasp echoed in a wave through the crowd, the first having come from the prince when the gift was revealed. A rifle of the newest model. The empress knew her son too well.


    Saihi trailed his fingers against the fine model of cold metal and wood. ¡°Mother-!¡± The prince coughed and stopped himself, pivoting so he was actually looking at the empress when he spoke. ¡°Thank you, mother. I will use it well.¡±


    The empress smiled and held out her arm. The prince took it as an invitation to have her hold on to him again and to begin a private conversation. The watching crowd slowly resumed their cycle. The orchestra played its calming melody, the servants walked their paths carrying appetizers, and the guests renewed their own conversations.


    Kenta remained true to his duty. He was still watching the prince.


    The prince looked as if he were following the empress rather than leading her as correct etiquette would instruct. No doubt Saihi¡¯s mind was still lost to the rifle that sat waiting for him on the cart. The empress was saying something to him and he was nodding his head slowly.


    The nodding stopped.


    Kenta couldn¡¯t see their expressions since both had their backs to him, but Saihi¡¯s shoulders now looked tense. Saihi stepped away from his mother. The empress now took his hand, dropped it, then walked back to the center of the platform. Kenta watched as the empress turned to look back at her son. Saihi¡¯s turned, jaw set. He followed, but Kenta could tell that the movement was with reluctance.


    Trumpets blared once more and the crowd hushed. This time, the orchestra stopped their music also. The empress guided her elegant hands upwards and bestowed her son forwards. ¡°Today,¡± she spoke. ¡°We gather together to celebrate Prince Saihi Seihi¡¯s twenty-first birthday.¡±


    Kenta knew the empress liked to speak on her son¡¯s behalf each year, but unlike the prince¡¯s usual willowy gestures and easy grin, Saihi¡¯s jaw was square and his brown eyes were set on a scene far away.


    ¡°This day not only celebrates the birth of my only son, but the birth of the son of this nation,¡± continued the empress. ¡°And soon, we shall celebrate the birth of a new era¡­¡± The empress let her words hang as she turned to look at her son. Saihi¡¯s lips were clamped in a tight smile. The empress looked back at the crowd. ¡°I have decided that it is time to pass the crown. This nation requires a new figure to rule this land into prosperity. As the sun always sets, I believe with the prince¡¯s twenty-first birthday, it is time for the sun to rise anew.¡±


    Kenta now understood why the prince had grown board-stiff in a short span of time. The empress planned to make him emperor. This was no surprise since the prince had always known the crown would be his. Saihi had even anticipated it, so Kenta began to question what bothered Saihi when the queen continued.


    ¡°However, the sun shall not rise alone,¡± the empress¡¯s voice echoed as she said, ¡°A new empress shall come to take my place as mother of this nation to guide this country. Today we celebrate our prince, but in two weeks time, we shall celebrate the birth of a new empress and emperor of this nation.¡±


    The crowd burst into cheer. Saihi looked green in his colorful kimono. Kenta almost felt bad for the prince. Almost. If the prince married, at least all the inappropriate rumors would disappear. Maybe he would even mature-up and take on his duties. Kenta glared at the prince¡¯s back. He better take on his duties.


    Saihi bid his farewells to the empress and she left in the reverse order that she came. Hanan and Katsuki left last, dark eyes pointing accusingly at the prince behind colorful fans. The empress''s plans to crown the prince must have been news to them as well.


    When they were all gone, the prince was alone before his audience. He smiled, his playful mischievous sort that he slipped on right before doing something Kenta did not like.


    He spoke to the people, courtiers, all who can hear when he said this, ¡°Shall we dance?¡±

 Twelve - Odilia

    The empress''s announcement about the prince''s inheritance to the throne and engagement was a certain astonishment to witness. Odilia thought so as she followed Emiko through the pulsing group of guests as music hopped into a rhythmic jig. The crowd buzzed with newfound excitement as people wondered which lucky lady the prince would marry. Others followed the prince into a ring as drums found a beat and singers started to hum a new song. Emiko was leading Odilia into this ring with an assured grip of her fingers.


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Odilia demanded although the answer was obvious, stopping just at the edge of the circle. Emiko was grinning, letting go of Odilia¡¯s hand as she seemingly flew backwards before disappearing among the crowds. The sea of dancers were linking arms with strangers as they hopped in tune to the music. Odilia, having been abandoned by her friend, sighed, and clomped off towards the refreshments. The food banquet had been briskly abandoned by all the young, jolly, and able folks who wanted the chance to join the prince in a merry flow.


    Sipping on cold tea, Odilia felt slight annoyance towards Emiko who¡¯d been quick to abandon her. Emiko had however been acting weird ever since seeing Merlin standing next to the prince. Odilia didn¡¯t blame her. She was also shocked at seeing Merlin wearing the uniform of a samurai and standing right besides the prince of all places! She¡¯d assumed that he was working as a regular servant. Emiko must have felt worse at finding his secret in this way given the two had known each other for a long time.


    Biting her lower lip, Odilia reluctantly inched back towards the dancing circle. Perhaps she was the one who had abandoned a hurting friend.


    Odilia found Emiko not long after and squeezed in beside her.


    ¡°You¡¯re to join?¡± Emiko was grinning as Odilia¡¯s arm linked with hers. ¡°You don¡¯t look like the sort that likes to dance,¡± she added.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Odilia agreed. ¡°I don¡¯t do things like this,¡± but she was smiling all the same.


    An understanding fell between them as they let themselves be swept in the musician¡¯s song.


    ¡°By¡¯lyl the generous, agreed for some glow,¡± sang the singer.


    Then the crowd joined with, ¡°The boy lit a match, but he wanted some more!¡±


    Odilia smiled back at Emiko¡¯s bright face and mouthed along the words to a song everyone knew. It derived from a poem that came from a folk tale, the story of the great god By¡¯lyl that fell to the wiles of a child. The child, according to legend, was the first Seihi to rule Kuroba and bring the nation to its current greatness. Hikizu village, the town surrounded by woodland is the supposed birthing place of the great man who liberated the people from the tyrant. Or so Odilia had learned from Father Mich¡¯yl back at the Aketsuru shrine, the Temple of the Crane.


    Suddenly, Emiko distractedly jerked her head back as if she¡¯d spotted something. Odilia followed her gaze. Someone.


    Merlin had passed by the opposite side of their circle. He walked briskly and didn¡¯t seem to notice as Emiko wrestled out of the circle after him.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Odilia followed.


    Emiko looked back at her friend who¡¯d left the circle to follow her. ¡°I need to talk to him alone.¡± Emiko¡¯s eyes were round and quickly darted back towards the gates where Merlin disappeared before focussing back on Odilia. ¡°Please?¡±


    Odilia understood, Emiko wanted to find answers. From Merlin. Alone.


    Odilia made a show by taking a step back. She pursed her lips into a thin smile and nodded her head.


    Emiko turned and hurried after Merlin past the gates.


    After much little thought, Odilia decided to follow Emiko on her excursion anyways. Of course, she did this discreetly without her friend knowing. After a few heartbeats, Odilia crept out through the gates and tucked under the shadows along the brick wall so that no other could see her. Clenching her energy into her center till her muscles and tendons felt like it may burst Odilia condensed her magic and let it go. Black feathers burst across her vision until she was once again, an eagle.


    The Steller''s sea eagle spread her wings and soared up into the sky that was slowly painting a dark orange glow. Much more time than Odilia had registered had passed at the party. She surged forwards, hoping she wouldn''t lose sight of her friend. It didn¡¯t take her long to find her target.


    Emiko, she quickly spotted with her orange sunburst kimono, had caught up to Merlin. The two were on a path enshrouded by some trees that led into a forest. Odilia realized as she spiraled down to land in a tree, that it was the forest of By¡¯lyl, the woods that connected Hikizu village and the city of Toukuhai, which were the two lands lorded by the Aketsuru daimyo.


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    Odilia always walked the path of these woods with Erwin when returning to the small village from the capital. This was one of the few places they flew instead of traveling on foot because this side of the woods was thick and had no definite path.


    By the time Odilia¡¯s eagle form had settled close enough to hear, Merlin had left Emiko and hurried into the forest. Before Merlin¡¯s departure, Emiko had her arms around Merlin¡¯s sleeve. They were still raised in that tucked position and after six heartbeats, she dropped them with a deafening sigh. Then the girl fell to her knees and began to sob.


    Odilia didn¡¯t know what exactly made her friend cry, but she knew who. She wondered if she should show herself to her friend, revealing her broken promise and comfort her. Or she could go after Merlin to demand answers.


    Odilia, whose first real friend was Emiko, didn¡¯t know what it meant to break a promise. Not yet.


    Odilia dropped to the ground and stood up in her kimono once more. She revealed herself.


    ¡°Will you tell me what¡¯s wrong?¡± Odilia asked.


    Emiko looked up with red, swollen eyes. ¡°You followed.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. ¡°Why should I tell you? You must know already since you followed.¡±


    Odilia tilted her head to the side. ¡°Did he break your heart? Va¡¯ti said one shouldn¡¯t fall so easily.¡±


    Emiko¡¯s tears just would not stop and Odilia was amazed at how much a person could cry because of a boy. Yet Odilia didn¡¯t blame her since Emiko reminded her of her old self, when Odilia had no name and was called the Hakusei.


    Odilia knelt to be face-to-face with her friend. What kind of man rejects a girl and just leaves her crying near the edge of a dark, deep forest? Merlin, apparently. Any respect she¡¯d gained for the man had quickly dissipated.


    Odilia sighed, her palms resting on her knees. ¡°Would you like to tell me what¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Emiko wiped her eyes and stooped her shoulders so that her face now looked at the ground. ¡°I want to be alone.¡± Her voice was barely a whisper and she then immediately stood and bolted back down the road. Odilia thought about following, but a sound called to her from the forest.


    She heard one that was deadly. It was like that of a gunshot. Odilia didn¡¯t remember the forest of By¡¯lyl to have ever been open to hunters. It was a sanctuary due to its tie to the kingdom. Additionally, it was way too close to the village.


    Panic gnawed at Odilia¡¯s throat as she remembered that her new home was the first at the other end of the forest, and there the cranes would be exposed. Transforming back into an eagle at rapid speed, Odilia soared up to investigate the noise. Her golden eyes found a wounded animal before she spotted the hunter. It was a bloody carcass of a hare. Not a carcass. The rabbit was still alive and struggling to drag itself away from the approaching eagle.


    Shhh¡­


    Odilia fluttered her wings around the hare and prepared to transform back into a human so that she could treat the wounded animal. Instead, she felt the pain of metal tearing through tissue. Blinking yellow eyes, Odilia followed the scent of newshed blood to see a bullet lodged between her shoulder and wing. Footsteps came running. Panic renewed as Odilia realized her mistake. The hunter had seen her and used the rabbit as bait.


    The eagle flapped one great white striped wing as she tried to escape her perpetrator. Pain flashed across her vision as she wobbled and made the attempt to regain balance. A frightened squawk of a bird escaped her beak as panic rose. She was Odilia Kennedy, adopted daughter to Erwin Kennedy. And she was a witch. She did not get caught. Not by a hunter.


    The eagle lunged and shot through the air just before the hunter caught her in their net. Odilia didn¡¯t know where she was going, but she was in the air and moving far from the perpetrator¡¯s grasp. The momentum didn¡¯t last long. Not even a minute later, Odilia felt wind whipping around all sides of her as pain shot through her shoulder like her right wing might rip off. She was falling. Then, as if by a miracle, she landed conscious, which meant she wasn¡¯t dead. Still, it was bad because she could feel every painful nerve pulsing in agony.


    Before Odilia could calm herself enough to swallow the agonizing pain, a human hand came down on her and picked her up. Odilia was too weak to fight back. With her eyes closed to the pain, Odilia fluttered her good wing and snapped at whoever had caught her. Odilia hoped that whoever caught her was no hunter and might set her free.


    The human stroked her feathers and held down her wings. ¡°Shhh¡­¡±


    Odilia paused mid-struggle. She recognized that voice.


    ¡°Shhhh¡­¡± continued the familiar voice. Odilia cracked her eyes open. ¡°You¡¯re safe. You¡¯re safe¡­¡± said Merlin.


    Recognizing the one who¡¯d made her friend cry, Odilia squawked angrily and struggled some more, flapping both wings in angry protest. The racket didn¡¯t last long. Pain shot through her featherly form and temporarily paralyzed the eagle.


    Merlin, on the other hand, was looking down at her with the deepest concern as windswept dark hair framed his handsome face. He¡¯d clearly been running, his forehead was damp.


    Odilia was too shocked at Merlin¡¯s show of a delicate emotion to be afraid any longer. Her big eyes stared up at Merlin who cradled her like a newborn babe.


    Merlin glanced at Odilia¡¯s wing and winced. ¡°That¡¯s his highness¡¯s new rifle for sure,¡± he said, referring to the empress¡¯s hunting gift to the prince. Merlin gently set Odilia onto the soft mossy floor and tore a piece of fabric from his overcoat, wrapping it tight over her wound.


    Odilia winced from the pain as he picked her back up. ¡°I¡¯ll treat your wing much nicer once I find his highness,¡± Merlin promised. ¡°Until then, please bear with me.¡±


    Odilia reluctantly dropped into his embrace. After all, it wasn¡¯t like she had a choice. Did she?

 Thirteen - Ai

    Ai opened her eyes to the sky which glowed a deep purple.


    ¡°Pst.¡± Someone nudged her.


    Ai groaned for not being given due time to process her awakening. She felt irritated, floating on her back in the lake and prickling with cold. She rolled her eyes and forced herself to engage in human interaction.


    ¡°What is it, Ri?¡± Ai tried to smile even as murky water splashed onto her face in her attempt to face her comrade. After four years trapped under the curse of a crane, she didn¡¯t even care if the freshwater went down her throat.


    Ri waded in the water, upright and with a tight expression. She indicated with her head. ¡°It¡¯s the wizard,¡± she whispered loudly.


    Ai immediately swung her head in the direction that Ri was eye-balling. The other girls who were either on the grass or wading alongside Ai had given a wide berth to one directional spot.


    In the dark, a large bird shifted, then grew. The smile Ai had forced for her friend transformed into a scowl at the ginger haired man in a tailored, black suit. Rothbart stood tall and proud like the tyrant he was. He¡¯d come to see them every night. Like a silent hawk, he was creepy and undignified.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Ai demanded with clenched jaws which failed to keep her teeth from chattering. Ai told herself that it was the cold freshwater that sent a chill down her spine and not the wizard. Acknowledging fear was like accepting it.


    The wizard didn¡¯t immediately reply and instead snapped his fingers. Seven, identical cotton gowns of different colors flew into view at once.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so hostile,¡± the wizard spoke like a businessman. ¡°I¡¯ve only come to provide the usual, basic necessities,¡± Rothbart nodded at the simple, but elegant robes dangling midair.


    The girls were already wearing gowns given to them by the wizard which Ai had to admit were not only beautiful and strange, but comfortable. However, with the way the wizard color-coded the girls with these gowns, Ai felt she and the girls were like a herd of cattle.


    Ai folded her arms, trying not to shiver in the night¡¯s cold air. ¡°You¡¯re here earlier than usual.¡±


    Rothbart again, did not immediately say something in return. However, when he spoke, it surprised Ai as it was simple and she believed him when he said, ¡°There are pressing matters at hand.¡±


    Ri and the other girls were looking at Ai for permission to accept the new batch of clothes. The wizard was already waving his hand to manipulate a thick, white sheet for a makeshift dressing room.


    Ai waded to the shore and pushed herself out of the water. She took her own colored gown with wet hands and silently strode into the dressing room. The others followed.


    The makeshift dressing room was a collection of bedsheets suspended like a ghostly cylinder in the night. Each girl disposed of their previous dress which was soaked from the lake¡¯s water, then slipped their new gown over their head.


    Soon Rothbart had retreated into the shadows with a basket full of the girls¡¯ soiled clothes and each girl emerged dry and clean. Sakura in pink, Ri in yellow, Mako in blue, Momo in lilac, Nana in green, and Kaori sauntered from within the dressing room wearing a robe the color of persimmon.


    When all the girls had gathered, they went to perch on a rock or to settle on a dry patch of land. Ai went on her way to climb a great oak tree in her new crimson robe.


    Ai hated her given color. She despised the color of her dress. It felt like a target on her back. Her dress, like the others¡¯, was cotton and felt like silk. It was red like a ripe apple in autumn, but also looked like Rothbart might have dyed it by dipping it in fresh blood. The skirts tangled in the tree¡¯s branches and Ai¡¯s heart sang at the idea that she was so quickly ruining the evil man¡¯s gift. A small joy.


    Small joys were what Ai would need to survive another four years trapped under this curse.


    A small rustling came from behind her, and then suddenly, all the girls were clamoring the edge of the lake.


    Ai almost fell from the tree as someone screamed. She clung to a thick branch,  trying to see through all the greenery in order to figure out what went on below her. A shadow became visible, crossing beneath her and approaching her friends.


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    At first, Ai thought that Rothbart had returned and was going to get rid of them once and for all, but then she noticed that this one wore not an ounce of black and he held something in his hands. Ai squinted to see better and her heart leapt to her throat as she realized what it was that the man held. A gun!


    ¡°Shhh¡­¡± shushed the man in a not-so-quiet voice. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I won¡¯t hurt you.¡±


    Ai¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Fear escaped her as irritation towards the man¡¯s tone of voice grew. Some of the more sensible girls like Mako and Kaori, reacted as if they were feeling the same way, folding their arms and standing their ground.


    Ai pushed against the large trunk of the tree and leapt from the great oak, propelling herself over her friends and the uninvited guest.


    Four years of living under a curse, especially one that isolates a person with only a select few, provides room for boredom and untapped curiosity. So Ai had taken to practicing parkour every night when she was human. After landing unharmed on both legs, it was an uncontrollable proud grin that Ai gave when she faced the stranger for the first time.


    ¡°Are you angels or witches?¡± asked the man.


    Ai tried to push down the urge to relentlessly beat down the stranger. Seven young women should be able to take on one man. Rifle or not. However, this stranger could just be a lost traveler. Maybe he too saw nothing but seven girls out past midnight.


    ¡°Are those the only two options?¡± Ai scoffed, smile souring. ¡°Who are you to enter our forest?¡±


    ¡°Your forest?¡± The man stepped closer, forcing everyone to collectively step back. ¡°So you are witches claiming the king''s land.¡±


    Ai burst into a nervous chuckle. ¡°I see that you are not only rude, but extremely stupid.¡± Behind Ai, the other girls exchanged looks. However, no one dared to talk. The man was still holding a rifle, which glinted in the crescent moonlight.


    Ai also came to notice that the man still carried his weapon. And the man noticed her noticing. He immediately set the weapon at his feet and held his hands up.


    ¡°I apologize,¡± said the stranger. ¡°I now realize how rude I¡¯d been.¡±


    ¡°Then I hope you would properly introduce yourself,¡± said Ai.


    ¡°I¡¯m a hunter,¡± replied the man.


    Ai looked to Ri who shrugged and then to Mako who slowly shook her head. Ai coughed into her fist before continuing.


    ¡°Sir, you are no longer in the forest. You are now in the outskirts of Hikizu village.¡±


    ¡°I am¡­?¡± The man fidgeted with his sleeve which looked unusually decorated for a kimono belonging to someone who was just a hunter. ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized.¡±


    Ai folded her arms.


    The man chuckled. ¡°Actually, to be honest, I don¡¯t go hunting often so I must be lost. I¡¯m a simple hunter, truly, but my true profession is a soldier. I¡¯m one of the prince¡¯s samurai.¡± He bowed. ¡°My name is Kenjiya Kenta.¡± He bowed.


    ¡°Kenta?¡± said Ai.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Please leave.¡±


    The man dropped his gaze to his feet, then glanced back up. He shrugged. ¡°I suppose I should get going.¡±


    Ai found this unnerving because she¡¯d expected some sort of protest.


    ¡°Did you¡­ Did you perhaps see something?¡± Ai asked.


    Kenta looked at her squarely in the eye and tilted his head. ¡°Like what?¡±


    Ai shook her head. ¡°Nothing.¡±


    But still, Ai¡¯s frown deepened and her palms were clammy like something was wrong, she could feel it.


    Ai forced herself to not to look down at the weapon lying at their feet. He was a hunter, and they were birds. Birds that just turned into humans. Or humans that could turn into birds. However the man would see it, if he knew, it would lead to some sort of trouble.


    ¡°You know, most young women offer to let me stay the night at such a late hour,¡± said the man.


    ¡°I thought we were done talking,¡± said Ai curtly. And when the man didn¡¯t immediately move, she added, ¡°Leave. Before the sun even begins to rise.¡±


    Kenta pulled his shoulders back and took a step backwards towards the forest. He looked as if he wanted to say more, but then he finally turned and stepped into the foliage. When the girls could no longer hear the man¡¯s footsteps, the cry of an eagle sounded in the distance like a warning.

 Fourteen - Odilia

    They couldn¡¯t find the prince in the forest.


    ¡°Well, isn¡¯t that great news for us?¡± said Merlin to Odilia the bird. ¡°That means I can treat your wounds much sooner.¡±


    Odilia squawked in response. She did not think it was good news at all.


    Merlin smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m sure the prince returned to the palace. He usually does so within an hour of hunting.¡±


    Odilia squawked again. She hoped what Merlin said was true.


    Merlin had talked to her the entire time they were together in the woods. She was sure that she¡¯d heard him talk more now with the bird, than he had ever talked when she was human. She wondered if the pretty head of his was alright.


    Merlin took the bird to a bubbling creek and carefully unwrapped the bloody bandage. He removed a dagger, which was tucked under the belt of his uniform and removed the bullet lodged in Odilia¡¯s flesh. Odilia watched warily with her golden eyes as Merlin cleaned her wound with cold water from the creek and staunch the bleeding with moss. Merlin produced another piece of fabric and tightly wrapped it around Odilia¡¯s tender wing and torso so that it would remain stable. It would be a while before she could fly again. Odilia cursed for not being more careful.


    After Merlin was satisfied with his work, he took her up and continued back the path they¡¯d come from. Odilia was surprised because she¡¯d expected him to just let her go immediately. A few minutes longer and Odilia realized that Merlin wasn¡¯t about to let her go at all.


    Odilia squirmed and squawked in protest, wincing against the pain at every movement.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll take you somewhere safe,¡± Merlin promised, which was not what Odilia was hoping for at all. If she was with him, how could she return to being human?


    Odilia¡¯s fears heightened when the two broke the clearing of the forest and ran into a figure who stood alone in the dark.


    ¡°Your highness.¡± Merlin stopped in his tracks and bowed his head. Odilia finally also noticed that this still figure was the prince. His face looked up to the sky, bathed by the light of the moon.


    ¡°Prince,¡± Merlin said nonchalantly with a matching bow. ¡°So I see you¡¯ve given up without catching anything.¡±


    The prince removed his gaze from the heavens and looked at Merlin. A smile tugged at his lips. ¡°Oh, I caught something,¡± he wrung his wrists and grinned. Then his eyes slid across those of the yellow eyes of the bird watching him. ¡°I see that you were the one who snatched my prey.¡± His tone was one of observation.


    ¡°This one is not for you to play,¡± said Merlin.


    Merlin looked down at the bird in his arm. Odilia met his eyes and tried to silently beg for him to let her go.


    Instead, Merlin looked back up at Prince Saihi. ¡°Let us go.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for the prince to follow as he proceeded down the path towards the palace with Odilia cradled in his arms.


    ¡°What are you going to do with that?¡± asked the prince as he slid to find pace with the samurai.


    Merlin¡¯s breath was coming out steadily as he hurried through the palace gates and jogged by the guards posted at the doors. It was dark, the festivities long gone, so the path was easy.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be treating its wounds.¡± Merlin spoke like it was obvious.


    ¡°How is this fair?¡± demanded the prince as he followed them down the corridors. ¡°She is the creature I¡¯ve caught!¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Therefore, she should be mine,¡± the prince huffed. ¡°Where has your etiquette gone?¡±


    This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°It left when you abandoned your own birthday celebrities.¡± Merlin kept walking. ¡°You have more work piled on your desk. Therefore,¡± Merlin then shot his highness a glance. ¡°Millennial tasks such as playing caregiver to a bird will now be mine.¡±


    Odilia bristled. If caring for her was such a chore, why not just let her go?


    Merlin didn¡¯t speak until they reached the end of the corridor within the palace. The guards threw black the doors wide for the three of them to enter. The prince followed Merlin glumly, making Odilia wonder just how important Merlin¡¯s role was within the palace.


    When the doors finally closed, the prince fell into a couch decorated with cushions. Merlin gathered a soft, beige blanket and dropped Odilia into its nest. He then left her there, walking around the room and filing through cabinets and drawers as he collected what Odilia assumed were bandages and ointments.


    The prince sat across Odilia and stared at her without blinking. She looked away and focussed her attention elsewhere.


    ¡°You sure that¡¯s a bird?¡± asked the prince, making Odilia¡¯s heart jump into a faster beat.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Merlin demanded, taking the very words from Odilia¡¯s mind. He was now behind Odilia and he walked around to reach in front of her to gently pick her up to nurse her.


    The prince sighed and leaned back against the hood of the couch, his face up at the cream-colored ceiling.


    Merlin glanced at the prince, waiting for a response, but after another moment of silence, he went back to focusing on the task at hand. Merlin took a basin of water he had filled and began cleaning Odilia¡¯s soiled feathers. The water quickly turned rust-colored before it grayed from all the extra grime. Merlin had a jar of ointment and he gently applied it onto Odilia¡¯s open wound, the space between her wing and shoulder where the bullet had hit her. Odilia winced from the pain as Merlin took a clean strip of linen to wrap up his work.


    Odilia tried flexing her wing only to result in a nauseating pain throughout her whole body. If she were any ordinary bird, she might not have survived from the wound of a bullet.


    Merlin lifted Odilia up and put her back in his makeshift nest of blankets. He sat down on the couch opposite the prince. ¡°Okay,¡± Merlin nodded his head at the prince. ¡°What¡¯s really up?¡±


    Odilia watched the two intently; Merlin with his hands folded professionally, the prince slumped against cushions and legs disgracefully splayed out. Odilia assumed that for the two to be talking so comfortably with each other, they must be in some private room like a lounge or study belonging to the prince.


    The prince didn¡¯t answer, so Merlin proceeded to stare at him until he said, ¡°Where¡¯s your rifle?¡±


    The prince immediately sat up and looked at his hands. A look of bewilderment spread across his face at finding them empty . He then glanced around the vicinity of his area.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t carrying it when we emerged from the woods,¡± Merlin spoke.


    ¡°Oh,¡± the prince collapsed back into his seat. ¡°I must have forgotten it.¡±


    ¡°Where?¡± Merlin frowned. ¡°In the woods?¡±


    The prince shrugged.


    ¡°This is unlike you,¡± Merlin continued. ¡°You generally treat your weapons like you would a child. And this one was a gift received today by the queen.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say,¡± said the prince.


    ¡°I can wait,¡± Merlin folded his arms.


    ¡°No, I mean,¡± he closed his eyes. ¡°What I mean to say is that¡­¡± The prince opened his eyes, meeting Odilia¡¯s yellow ones before looking away. ¡°Let me show you,¡± said the prince.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Odilia shifted, trying to make sense of the conversation. Merlin glanced down at her, hearing the bird¡¯s discomfort. He looked back up at the prince.


    The prince was pacing in front of the couch now with his hands rubbing his chin where small hairs were beginning to poke through. ¡°Yes, I can just show you.¡± He then rounded to the back of the room, disappearing from Odilia¡¯s line of sight.


    ¡°What?¡± Merlin repeated, turning to find where the prince disappeared. When the prince didn¡¯t immediately reply, Merlin looked down at Odilia and scratched his head, shrugging before setting her down. He stood and ran after the prince. ¡°Saihi, seriously, what?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t question it,¡± the prince snapped, reappearing in a more casual attire.


    Merlin pointed at the prince accusingly. ¡°Why are you wearing my clothes?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have an issue with it before,¡± the prince shoved past Merlin towards the door. When Merlin didn¡¯t immediately move, the prince raised an eyebrow and nodded at the door. ¡°Come on, Kenta¡±


    After glancing down at Odilia once more, Merlin left.


    Odilia had been listening and plotting ways that she could escape Merlin¡¯s grasp so that she could reappear in her human form. She¡¯d also caught the prince address Merlin by a different name: Kenta. She wondered why it was so. However, Odilia was stuck in the form of an eagle with an injured wing and so could only continue watching as the door closed and locked before her.

 Fifteen - Kenta

    Kenta had followed Saihi into the woods. The prince seemed to know where he was going.


    Kenta wanted to ask Saihi where they were going, but he¡¯d already questioned the prince multiple times today which was already disrespectful enough since the prince was Kenta¡¯s master.


    Kenta remembered from the last time he¡¯d overstepped his boundaries between being friend and the prince¡¯s samurai, that Saihi could only take so much before snapping. To the prince, duty came first before friendship. Kenta supposed it was partially why he respected the prince so much.


    However, Kenta soon realized that he didn¡¯t need to ask Saihi to know where they were going. The path through the woods soon came to a familiar wet path littered with growing shrubs. The path narrowed before widening. Kenta stopped walking and squinted at the footprints that were left from whoever had crossed the area before them. To make sure there were no mistakes, he bent to his knees to compare the imprints.


    The footprints belonged to the prince, which meant this was the path the prince had taken when he¡¯d disappeared to go hunting the previous night.


    ¡°Your highness,¡± Kenta tried being more formal. ¡°If this is about the queen¡¯s gift?¡± Kenta glanced nervously at the thinning woods. Yes, this place was very familiar. ¡°Your highness,¡± Kenta called out again. ¡°If we keep going like this, we will be in Hikizu village. It¡¯s no longer the capital.¡±


    Now the prince stopped and looked back. ¡°Really?¡± he asked, but his tone was sarcastic so Kenta realized that the prince already knew.


    Saihi turned and continued walking without saying another word so Kenta had to scramble after the prince. ¡°Saihi!¡± Kenta ran to catch up and slid to stand in front of him. ¡°Your highness,¡± Kenta repeated more calmly, steading his breath. ¡°For your own safety, I forbid you from going further.¡±


    Saihi stopped, but frowned, crossing his arms. ¡°My safety? What¡¯s over there that you find dangerous?¡± The prince leaned forwards and squinted up at Kenta since the bodyguard was slightly taller. ¡°Do you also know¡­?¡± asked the prince.


    Kenta stood still, refusing to budge. ¡°Know what?¡±


    Saihi rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Saihi attempted to push past Kenta¡¯s barrier.


    Kenta held his ground and looked at the prince defiantly. ¡°You¡¯re the only heir to the Kuroba throne and you¡¯re out here in the woods in plain sight. Is this important enough to compromise your safety?¡±


    Saihi scoffed. ¡°It''s as important as that bird of yours.¡±


    Kenta was forced back in surprise, his neck burning a shade of red. Looking smug, the prince breezed past Kenta without another word.


    When the two were soon to break the surface of the forest, Kenta held the prince back and lifted a finger to tell the prince to keep quiet.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re disguised enough that the public wouldn¡¯t recognize you?¡± Kenta whispered. The prince shrugged Kenta¡¯s hand away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± the prince adjusted his borrowed garments. ¡°When I was here last night, I introduced myself as you.¡±


    ¡°M,me¡­?¡± Kenta shook his head. ¡°Your highness, a lot of things can go wrong with that. Besides, some of the people here know me.¡±


    Saihi blinked. ¡°Really?¡± Then after some thought, ¡°but as Merlin, right? Isn¡¯t that what those two girls called you?¡±


    ¡°Emiko and Odilia? Yes, but-¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s perfect!¡± interrupted the prince. ¡°I can be Kenjiya Kenta, the samurai, and you are just my friend, Merlin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just not too comfortable¡­¡± However, the prince was no longer listening as something beyond the woods had caught the prince¡¯s eye. Saihi pushed past Kenta and ran towards the lake which stood, as Kenta was embarrassed to acknowledge, was beside Odilia''s house.


    Kenta closed his eyes and counted to ten before following the prince. He hoped Doctor Kennedy wasn¡¯t home because it would be awkward for their second meeting to be under the impression that they were trespassing his property for whatever reason the prince found important to do so.


    Saihi was waiting by the banks of the small lake where seven red-crowned cranes flocked its waters. Most had fluttered to the opposite side of the lake, but none flew far. Saihi was watching the cranes intensely as if willing for the birds to do something.


    ¡°Your highness,¡± Kenta said, reaching him. ¡°We¡¯re trespassing.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± replied the prince, still watching the cranes. ¡°But it¡¯s okay.¡±


    Kenta frowned. ¡°How? Did the landowner give you permission?¡± He imagined with horror how the prince might have introduced himself to Dr. Kennedy by using Kenta¡¯s name as a mask.


    ¡°No,¡± the prince replied, still looking. ¡°However, I know the girls.¡±


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°What girls?¡±


    ¡°The girls who live here.¡±


    Now Kenta was very confused.


    ¡°Who do you think lives here, exactly?¡± Kenta demanded.


    At Kenta¡¯s harsh tone, the prince glanced back at his samurai and wrung his hands before looking out at the cranes again. ¡°Seven girls. Seven girls like the cranes.¡±


    Kenta sighed. ¡°My prince, how much did you drink last night?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Saihi looked highly offended. ¡°I was sober. I am sober.¡±


    Kenta shook his head. ¡°But you¡¯re wrong, Saihi. This is where Odilia lives¡­¡± Kenta wasn¡¯t exactly sure what else to say, but what he¡¯d said was enough for the prince to abandon the cranes at the lake and for him to run up the rest of the path to the house with the red bricks.


    When Kenta had caught up, the door had already been opened by the butler, Karis.


    Saihi demanded to see the master of the house.


    ¡°Merlin?¡± Karis noticed Kenta walking up behind the prince.


    ¡°Hello,¡± Kenta gave a polite greeting. ¡°May we speak with the doctor?¡±


    ¡°Wait here.¡± The old butler disappeared.


    Moments later, the door opened back even wider to reveal Doctor Kennedy at the archway.


    ¡°So it is, Merlin,¡± the doctor raised a thick, red brow. ¡°What brings you here? Where''s my daughter? I was expecting her yesterday¡­¡± Then he slowly turned to look at the prince. ¡°And who might this be¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Kenta, Merlin¡¯s friend, kind sir,¡± said Saihi. ¡°I apologize if I am blunt, but who might your daughters be? Do you have seven?¡±


    ¡°Seven!?¡± Doctor Kennedy shook his head. ¡°No, I only have one daughter¡­¡± he turned towards the real Kenta. ¡°Where¡¯s Odilia?¡±


    ¡°We have not spoken since the Prince¡¯s birthday banquet.¡±


    Saihi pushed up front. ¡°Odilia?¡± he questioned.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Doctor Kennedy frowned. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Is Odilia your daughter, sir?¡± questioned Saihi.


    Kenta folded his arms to keep himself from doing anything rash that would anger the prince.


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s my daughter-¡± the doctor stopped and looked at the real Kenta before turning back to the prince. ¡°Who are you to ask me these questions?¡±


    ¡°May we come in?¡± asked Saihi. ¡°I know it¡¯s rude to intrude, but I believe I have lots to say.¡±


    The doctor seemed not to know if he should trust Saihi and looked back at Kenta as if to silently ask the boy if this other young man was trustworthy. Kenta gave a curt nod and then Doctor Kennedy invited them in.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Sirens. What you saw are sirens,¡± said the doctor. ¡°I suggest you never go down to that lake again, young man.¡±


    ¡°What makes you so sure of what you saw?¡± demanded the prince.


    The three of them were sitting in a square room decorated with couches, a coffee table, and a furnace that remained cold due to the spring weather. Karis, the butler, had laid out tea on the table between them. The doctor sat on an armchair across the black couch where Kenta and the prince sat side-by-side. Kenta felt his behind slowly sink into the plush cushions.


    ¡°Sir, everything you have told me points to the women you saw being ghosts,¡± said Doctor Kennedy. ¡°Surely they were sirens.¡±


    ¡°I find it odd that a doctor would believe in the supernatural.¡±


    ¡°There is much more evidence pointing to those girls being of some supernatural hallucination rather than intruders at night claiming my home,¡± argued the doctor. ¡°And this town is small. There are few girls that fit the description and age that you have given. If you ask the other townsfolk, they will say the same.¡±


    Kenta looked at the prince. ¡°Did you by chance¡­ touch any of the girls?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Saihi bristled.


    ¡°I just want to know if you¡¯ve made physical contact. It would help us understand and believe you since spirits such as ghosts, or particularly Sirens, cannot actually tough you.¡±


    ¡°Those women and I did not make physical contact,¡± said Saihi. ¡°In fact, I find it hard to believe they were sirens because they feared me and avoided making any contact.¡±


    The doctor folded his hands. ¡°Well, before I bought this house, I was informed that the estate belonging to the former village chief used to stand here. The house was destroyed in an accident that killed seven girls who were there at the time,¡± said he. ¡°If what you said is true, and those girls who you met told you that they lived here, I bet if not sirens, you saw a different form of spirits.¡±


    Kenta listened to all this trying to keep an open mind. So the prince had dragged him here because he¡¯d spotted girls out by the lake the previous night. Nothing new. He pursed his lips and stood.


    ¡°Doctor, I am so sorry for our intrusion. I believe my friend here would agree that it is time the both of us leave you be.¡± Kenta glared at Saihi, willing him to listen for once and stand. Luckily, Saihi got up without protest and bowed politely at the doctor before heading towards the door.


    ¡°Thank you, Doctor,¡± said Saihi.


    When the two were almost a ways off, the doctor came chasing right behind them.


    ¡°Wait!¡± called the doctor, but he was only looking at the prince.


    Saihi turned, waiting.


    The doctor stopped, and suddenly, as if he¡¯d forgotten why he¡¯d run after them, the kind smile he¡¯d worn in the previous exchange slipped right off. Kenta noticed that the unnerving golden-eyed stare was something both he and Odilia shared.


    The doctor seemed to realize the looming silence that grew between them all. However, the smile did not return when he said, ¡°Please, don¡¯t let me find you at the lake again.¡±


    Kenta knew the doctor to be kind, but he couldn¡¯t tell if those words were a warning or a threat.

 Sixteen - Saihi

    That man was hiding something. Saihi just knew it. It was precisely why the prince decided he would return to that lake no matter what.


    When the duo left Doctor Kennedy¡¯s house, they returned to the palace but Saihi¡¯s mind was still at the lake.


    Those girls had appeared, Saihi thought. Nothing, then suddenly there. Cranes, then girls.


    Kenta parted ways to visit Emiko and to check to see if Odilia had departed the capital for home. It was a relief for Saihi who was quickly forming a plan.


    The prince first went to his room where he changed out of Kenta¡¯s kimono and into his personal clothes. Then he hurried to the library, ignoring the piles of paperwork sitting on his desk. Saihi paused. He shouldn¡¯t have paperwork on his desk. He had an office for that.


    He stepped back and looked down at the neat pile stacked on his desk. The first that caught his eye were creamy envelopes that looked like party invitations. Next to it was a stack of papers that was thick as a book on the history of ceremonial rites for the passing of the crown to the next emperor. A note was written on it by the head council member instructing the prince to thoroughly read the texts by the end of the week.


    Other things Saihi found on his desk were letters of congratulations and well wishing. A letter from the empress was there also. Assuming that it was likely about the wedding, Saihi ignored it and left his room altogether.


    Saihi stopped by the kitchen where he surprised the workers who happily provided him with a bowl of fruit before he left for his next destination. He went to the library where he immediately went to the shelves that promised topics regarding spirituality and ghosts. After gathering a handful, Saihi took a seat between the aisles on the marble floor and crunched on his red apple slices as he flipped through the pages of the book.


    The prince wasn¡¯t really sure what he was looking for. Perhaps some validity to the words the doctor had said earlier. There was something in Doctor Kennedy¡¯s eye that unnerved the prince. It made it hard to trust the man. Saihi wanted to believe the man spoke the truth. Not because he¡¯d rather have hallucinated the seven girls he¡¯d seen the previous night, but because there¡¯s a few options on how to deal with seven spirits. Seven girls who turn into cranes however¡­


    ¡°Strange¡­¡± Saihi mumbled, flipping the page after reading an introduction to ghosts. According to the exorcist who¡¯d recorded their findings, ghosts were spirits who couldn¡¯t leave the physical world due to attachments. The journal wasn¡¯t alphabetical, so Saihi had to flip through a couple of chapters before finding a page that spoke on the topic of sirens.


    Primarily young women, sirens are a type of ghost that bear a vengeful spirit. Ghosts are identified as spirits that haunt the mortal realm but cannot physically interfere with living beings in the mortal realm.The basic factor that identifies a siren would be its haunting space which would be a body of water.


    So the part about their haunting space lined up with what Doctor Kenndey had said. However vengeful? The girl in the crimson dress had appeared to be hostile, but the others had cowered in fear when they¡¯d seen his gun. Saihi didn¡¯t think the dead could be afraid of a human weapon.


    He continued to read.


    Although uncommon, sirens tend to also help each other if their spirits share the same resting space. A resting space is the same area that they haunt and is located in the exact spot of their passing.


    Saihi scanned the words once more, thinking. If those girls were the girls who¡¯d died in the fire four years ago, it would make sense for their spirits to haunt the land¡­ His thoughts trailed off. It still didn¡¯t explain the cranes. He definitely saw them transform into humans from cranes.


    Sighing, he continued.


    Haunting the resting space of their passing is a general trait seen in most ghosts. What¡¯s unique in sirens is the method of their death. Sirens are recorded to be the spirits of those who have drowned.


    Saihi closed the book. So those girls weren¡¯t sirens. Or they couldn¡¯t be sirens if they were the ghosts of the seven girls who¡¯d died in a fire.


    No¡­ Actually, the more Saihi thought, the more odd the situation seemed to be. Who were those girls? And why were they there? Saihi¡¯s mind drifted to the girl in the crimson robe. She had radiated confidence, seemingly unafraid. He thought that if the lake were a kingdom, that girl was the queen.


    The thought made the prince smile.


    Saihi stood and tucked the books in the sleeves of his kimono, weighing down his arm. He picked up the now empty bowl and made his way out the library. He planned to return to his lounge where he would read through the other books while enjoying a private dinner. Maybe Kenta would even join him.


    After asking a passing servant to bring up his dinner, Saihi entered his private lounge and was surprised to find the black eagle staring up at him from its nest. He¡¯d long forgotten of its existence.


    Saihi sat on the couch across from the eagle and began filing through the books. The books were equally useful and useless, mainly confirming with each page that the girls he¡¯d encountered were less likely to be ghosts.


    Dinner finally arrived on a steaming tray complete with a plate of roasted mahi-mahi, a bowl of rice, and a mixture of cooked and pickled side dishes. Sahihi began to dig in when he noticed the eagle still watching. Particularly, its golden eyes followed his chopsticks whenever he took a bite from the fish.


    He wondered if the bird had eaten anything all day. The poor bird had been abandoned by Kenta after its wing had been nursed. Did it even have a name?


    ¡°Okay, big girl,¡± Saihi stood and rang for another servant. ¡°I suppose I should get you some food.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Soon the bird also got its meal on a silver platter but not before rejecting the first which was topped with raw fish. The black eagle was eating happily after it was returned fully cooked. Saihi grew distracted watching the bird as it lapped up its fish. However, it wasn¡¯t the feeding that the prince watched. He looked into the bird¡¯s golden eyes which looked familiar. He¡¯s definitely seen it before.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Kenta might have returned later that night, but Saihi was long gone, cloaked beneath the dark of night. He was back in the forest looking for answers to questions unanswered.


    He broke the clearing once more, reaching the lake which reflected half of the moon in its waters. The lake rippled, seven cranes basking in its waters. Saihi wasn¡¯t sure what he was looking for. Perhaps someone to talk to that would give him real answers.


    He reached the waters and looked out at the cranes who ignored his presence. He was holding a trunk which he dropped near the banks of the lake. There were seven cranes. Just like there were seven girls.


    ¡°Hello?¡± he called out. ¡°Pretty lady in red? Hello!¡±


    Saihi¡¯s voice was barely above a whisper, but any sound that wasn¡¯t the rustling of the birds¡¯ feathers made him wince. ¡°Hello?¡± he tried again. ¡°It¡¯s me, Kenta!¡±


    ¡°Kenta,¡± spoke a deep, familiar male voice. Kenta spun around expecting to see the doctor, but instead faced the looming trees behind him.


    ¡°Hello¡­?¡± he called out into the night.


    This time, the voice came from the lake. Angry, and female.


    ¡°Why are you here again?¡± accused the girl who was dressed in red. Today, all the girls sank low into the lake, blushing under the moonlight. When Saihi turned towards her, her cheeks turned a darker shade of red. ¡°Look away!¡± she snapped. ¡°Don¡¯t you have any shame?¡±


    ¡°Relax,¡± Saihi shrugged as he noticed that their wet cotton gowns were plastered to their skin leaving room for imagination. ¡°It¡¯s not my first time seeing women nearly naked.¡± Still, the prince looked away and brought to focus a trunk he¡¯d brought with him. He carefully opened the lid so as not to startle the girls, and took out a kimono. One at a time.


    They were gray robes he¡¯d been able to salvage from the servants¡¯ quarters. It was the only place he could think of getting clothes of the quantity he needed without bringing notice.


    He pushed the trunk as near to the waters as he dared without risking the contents getting wet or laying his eyes on the girls. ¡°We need to talk.¡±


    ¡°We do?¡± the girl who was dressed in red sounded offended. ¡°More like you barge in and interrupt our agenda. Please leave.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± Saihi turned back to face the lake.


    The girls who¡¯d begun to leave the lake dove back into the lake, squealing.


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Saihi turned his back on them once more. ¡°Look, I stumbled upon you all by mistake last time and I really want to know the truth of it all. Like why are you birds? Are you human or bird? How did this come to be?¡± Saihi shook his head, trying to sort through his thoughts. ¡°Actually, who are you¡­?¡±


    There was a sound like barefoot stepping in mud, then the girl who was dressed in red, now in the gray kimono, stepped before Saihi. Her arms were crossed over her chest and her entire face shone in the light of the moon because she¡¯d pushed back her wet, dark hair to hang behind her back.


    The girl pursed her pink lips. ¡°Look, whoever you are-¡±


    ¡°Kenta.¡±


    ¡°Kenta,¡± she moved her hands to her hips. ¡°Alright, so I¡¯m flattered that you have questions, but I must ask you to leave. You¡¯re intruding.¡±


    ¡°On what exactly?¡± Saihi asked. ¡°You never told me who you are.¡±


    ¡°And do I have to?¡± The girl looked annoyed, but signed nonetheless. ¡°Look, I¡¯m only asking you politely now. I can¡¯t be polite forever.¡±


    ¡°That house isn¡¯t yours.¡±


    The girl stepped back. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That house,¡± Saihi nodded at the red-bricked house next to the lake. ¡°It¡¯s not yours, is it?¡±


    ¡°Of course-¡±


    ¡°I spoke to the doctor who lives there earlier today,¡± interrupted Saihi. ¡°He said he only had one daughter. Not seven.¡±


    ¡°I never said these girls and I are sisters,¡± said the girl.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Saihi smirked. ¡°Are you implying the man who lives in that house is your father?¡±


    ¡°Of a sort,¡± the girl glared up at the prince. ¡°Now can you leave?¡±


    ¡°Oh, um,¡± Saihi looked around in a mock impression that he was searching for something. ¡°I lost something of mine yesterday. Have you seen this rifle of mine¡­?¡±


    Two girls then walked over carrying the rifle between them.


    ¡°There you go,¡± the girl who was dressed in red sounded satisfied. ¡°Can you now please leave?¡±


    ¡°You know, the doctor who lives in that house said you girls were ghosts. What¡¯s all that about?¡±


    ¡°Leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just wondering why he¡¯d say all of that if you¡¯re like a daughter to him,¡± Saihi shrugged.


    The girl took a deep breath. ¡°Leave. This is the last time I can say it nicely.¡±


    Saihi bent down and closed the trunk. He held it in one hand and the rifle in the other. He looked back at the girl who¡¯d worn red, now wearing gray, from under his lashes. ¡°Can¡¯t you at least tell me your name?¡±


    ¡°My name?¡± she scoffed. ¡°Fine.¡± The girl leaned in and pulled Saihi close by the waist. ¡°The man in the brick house told you that we¡¯re ghosts, right? So hear this name and believe what he said.¡±


    She leaned in even closer so that her soft lips touched Saihi¡¯s ear. He was so shocked by her sudden closeness and touch that he¡¯d been rendered speechless in the moment.


    ¡°Remember my name,¡± said the girl who wore red. ¡°It¡¯s Ai Torizora. Now you know that I¡¯m a ghost, right? So don¡¯t come back,¡± said Ai. ¡°Stay in the land of the living.¡±


    Saihi left as promised. He didn¡¯t even say a word back. The prince simply walked away in a trance. Trunk, rifle, and all.


    However, his mind was already moving its gears as the palace drew near. Two things rang clear in the back of his mind.


    One, that the girl in red, Ai, had held him close.


    And the second, which was ghost¡¯s can¡¯t touch.

 Seventeen - Ai

    ¡°You can come out now.¡± Ai glared into the shadows as it formed together around a pair of glowing, yellow eyes. Rothbart stood before them radiating a terrible, yet powerful energy.


    ¡°Well done,¡± the evil wizard smiled. ¡°You make me proud.¡±


    ¡°You disgust me,¡± Ai spat in the mud. ¡°I can¡¯t believe all you do is hurt people, but the public thinks you¡¯re a doctor!¡±


    ¡°Is that what that boy told you?¡± wondered the wizard, although it seemed as if he was speaking to himself. ¡°He¡¯s lying as well.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re all liars,¡± said Ai. ¡°The difference is that you lie by nature and I lie because I have to.¡±


    ¡°Sounds to me like those two are awfully similar,¡± said the wizard. He swiftly waved his gloved hand and a window from the red-brick house flew open. From that window, a familiar trunk flew into the air and landed before the girls.


    Rothbart raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°We¡¯re already wearing dry clothes,¡± Ai protested, fingering the sleeves of her gray kimono.


    ¡°You know the conditions,¡± said the wizard.


    Because freedom came in various forms, Ai and the girls were practically subject to following the wills of this man. Ai hated it. She hated the terrible deal she¡¯d made. So far, nothing particularly terrible has happened, yet the demands and restrictions were like a choke-hold.


    Grudgingly, the girls trudged up to the trunk and collected their prospective garments of a specific color. Sakura in pink, Ri in yellow, Mako in blue, Momo in lilac, Nana in green, and Kaori in orange. Ai fingered her own red robe and disappeared behind the makeshift dressing room which hovered in midair by the wizard.


    ¡°Leave the gray kimonos here,¡± said the wizard, so the girls all left a pile next to the trunk before returning to their locations around the lake. Then the wizard took the empty trunk and the pile of the gray clothes Kenta had given them, and left.


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    ¡°I hate him,¡± said Kaori after they were sure that he was gone to his duties indoors.


    The others murmured in agreement except for Ai whose eyes remained strained on the red-bricked house. Mako seemed to notice her friend¡¯s silence and grew silent as well, watching as Ai¡¯s pale fingers slowly curled into fists.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ai?¡± Nana demanded, hands crossing over her chest.


    Mako walked over and gave Ai a shoulder to lean on. ¡°Tell us, Ai. What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Ai shook her head sadly and lowered her chin so that it touched her chest. Her shoulders heaved like she was lifting a huge burden. Then those shoulders shook and Ai threw back her head as she began to chuckle. The laughter soon shook her whole body so that Ai had to clutch her stomach and gulp deep breaths.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ai chuckled. ¡°Oh, I-¡± she doubled over before throwing back her head and wiping at her tears. ¡°I¡¯m such an idiot. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Mako hugged her shoulder. ¡°I get it, but what¡¯s wrong? What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    Ai was still crying tears mid-laughter. ¡°My idiocracy,¡± she said. ¡°Because I¡¯m such a big fool.¡± Ai shook her head, willing herself to remain calm as she blinked back the remaining wet drops from her lashes. ¡°We¡¯re all liars, aren¡¯t we?¡± she asked. Her words got stuck in her throat as she said this and her eyes watered anew. ¡°We¡¯re all liars¡­¡± she repeated. ¡°So why¡­ Why did we believe that wizard?¡±


    Ai¡¯s knuckles tensed and her palms hurt from the nails digging into flesh. ¡°Why¡­?¡± she wondered once more.


    It was then, as if a great spell had broken from all the girls and one by one they began to gasp as they realized that had occurred.


    They¡¯d given up freedom to a wizard on superstition that their curse should leave them in four years. Superstition, because the wizard could have lied.


    Momo fell to her knees and wept. The others soon followed.


    Ai remained standing with Mako bent over, weeping at her feet. Yes, their fates now seemed grimmer than before. However, as the sun crept up behind the trees and reached to the skies, Ai did not fall. Her tears dried as she stared off into the distance in the space between two trees where a broken path remained.


    It was the path forcefully made by the man who claimed to be Kenta. He¡¯d come twice already despite Ai¡¯s hostility. That man was stubborn.


    That gave her hope.

 Eighteen - Odilia

    Odilia felt like taking a big dump.


    She¡¯d been holding it in for hours now; ever since the prince had given her dinner. Cooing from discomfort, Odilia hoped that the cries of a bird would go unnoticed. Luckily Merlin, or Kenta, as Odilia quickly learned was the young man¡¯s other name, stood talking to another samurai by the doorway. Their conversation was short and soon Merlin¡¯s full attention was back on Odilia who flapped her uninjured wing in desperation.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Merlin asked. He seemed to rather recognize the habits of a very large bird like herself, because soon he¡¯d scooped her up gently and quickly took her to a patch of dirt outdoors so that she could relieve herself like a four-legged animal.


    Odilia stared at Merlin intently with her golden eyes till Merlin looked away.


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Merlin held up his hands, turning his back on her. ¡°Birds need privacy, I get it,¡± although Odilia could hear the confused tone in his voice as if he couldn¡¯t believe what he was doing for a bird.


    When she was done, Merlin took Odilia back to the lounge where a pile of paperwork and books lay on the coffee table. It was the prince¡¯s unattended work, which Merlin promptly filed through after setting Odilia down next to him.


    Odilia unconsciously stretched her neck out so her tiny bird¡¯s head and beak would rest on Merlin¡¯s thigh. She watched him work, but it was boring unlike her own Va¡¯ti¡¯s, Erwin¡¯s work as a medic.


    A sense of yearning for her adoptive father fell over Odilia. It¡¯s been over a week since she¡¯d last talked to him. She wondered if he¡¯d noticed her absence. If anyone has. If so, then were they looking for her? By Merlin¡¯s tranquil shuffling of the prince¡¯s work, it didn¡¯t feel like that was the case. Then again, Odilia didn¡¯t know if a report of a missing person of the villages was subject to alarm anyone within the palace walls.


    Odliia shifted her position, attracting attention from Merlin who began to stroke her obsidian feathers. She thought he might say something and peeked up at Merlin¡¯s jawline. However, his focus was still on the paperwork, his pen making a small scritch scritch as he flipped through them.


    He remained silent the whole time after too, so feeling bored and eventually drowsy, Odilia fell asleep.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Odilia stood in front of a grand mirror, fanning out her wings in a proud display. Black, and the white at the tail, between her eyes, and shoulders. She admired herself, the beauty of being a bird leaving her in awe. She flexed her giant wings and gathered the energy within herself.


    Then released.


    Odilia shifted and then instead of an eagle, a girl stood before the mirror. She was smiling. Tall and willowy with the slender frame of a bamboo stalk, the girl¡¯s hand lifted to touch her hair. It was red as a maple leaf in autumn and contrasted against her black taffeta empire dress like blood.


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    Then the girl noticed something. A smudge of stain in the mirror.


    Annoyed, Odilia took a corner of her long, dark sleeve and rubbed against the glass. The stain was suddenly a crack in the mirror and it began to stem out like a latticework of thin webs. Growing ever so frustrated, Odilia furrowed her brow, bending forwards so that she could pick at it. Her nose was almost touching the nose of her reflection.


    Odilia saw beneath the mirror, there was a deep, dark hole. For some reason, Odilia felt she had to uncover it to get there. She knew there was something there on the other side. Odilia groped at the mirror and pulled out all the pieces, ignoring the sharp pain of glass piercing skin.


    She didn¡¯t notice the pattering of red hitting the floor beneath her feet. The drip, drip, drip of blood was like the rhythm of her heart. The crimson blood flowed unnoticed until she swam through it to fit herself into the hole she¡¯d made in the mirror.


    Odilia fell into darkness and found herself looking at a door. It looked familiar.


    It was an old Kuroban-style sliding  paper door with a wooden frame. Geometric designs crossed the thin paper in a rhythmic pattern. There was movement behind that door, like people dancing.


    Odilia pushed against the door and slid it open. A sort of desperate smile strained across her face¨C


    And fell.


    Orange and red flames licked up towards the ceiling and lit the room. Suddenly Odilia could hear thunder and lightning flash from the windows lined up against the wall. Odilia watched the nightmare of four years ago as her sister screamed ¡°Save us!¡± and the wind rattled against the window panes.


    The flames were a tornado.


    The events Odilia tried to forget played before her.


    ¡°Get us out of here!¡± Ai begged. ¡°You can do magic. I know you can.¡±


    Odilia could see the silhouette of her younger self in the tornado. ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± All the other girls whimpered by the far wall through blurry eyes. Flames were at their feet. ¡°It¡¯s not aloud,¡± the Hakusei sobbed through the flames.


    ¡°Please save us!¡± cried the girls who¡¯d lit the matchstick.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± begged Ai. ¡°If you don¡¯t we¡¯ll all die.¡±


    Then Odilia heard her younger self speak, but it wasn¡¯t her voice. It was dark and deep and rose high like the fire. It spoke to her. ¡°If you reverse the spell, you will lose all of yours.¡±


    And the flames consumed everything as it slowly crept up to her in the doorway.


    When the fire began to lick her toes, she found that she was no longer a tall, willowy figure. She was short and wore a dirty, fading kimono. Her hair was long, matted, and a greasy gray.


    ¡°If you reverse the spell, you would lose everything,¡± repeated the voice. ¡°Do you really want that?¡±


    Odilia shook her head, her voice stuck in her throat. She tried to step back, but her legs wouldn¡¯t move. Her eyes blurred as the fire rose around her and reached out to her like binds.


    ¡°Do you really want that?¡±


    ¡°Do you really want that, Saihi?¡±


    Odilia blinked bleary eyes and saw that Merlin had abandoned his seat on the couch and stood staring at the prince who stood in the archway of the doors leading into the lounge.

 Nineteen - Odilia

    For once, Odilia was happy to be a bird because neither Merlin nor the prince cared to move their conversation from Odilia¡¯s prying ears.


    Odilia was surprised at Merlin who first raised his voice at the crown prince and surprised at how the prince abandoned all courtesy to argue back.


    ¡°Do you really want that, your highness?¡± Merlin crossed his arms. ¡°Because continue on the way you do and you¡¯ll see how much the people respect you and your reign.¡±


    ¡°How I chose to rule in the future is none of your business, Kenta,¡± the prince scoffed. He said the samurai¡¯s name rather mockingly.


    ¡°Oh,¡± then Merlin jabbed a finger at the desk before him with the partially-done paperwork. ¡°Well I¡¯d like to say that your paperwork that I¡¯ve completed would beg to differ.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± The prince moved closer to set two objects down: the rifle he¡¯d received from the empress on his birthday and a large trunk. ¡°When did I ever ask you to complete my share of work?¡± demanded the prince. ¡°Don¡¯t steal my work and then blame me for it afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Steal-!?¡± Merlin sounded appalled. ¡°With all due respect-¡±


    ¡°Oh, so now you want to show respect?¡± the prince rolled his eyes. ¡°You haven¡¯t even asked me where I¡¯ve been. Shouldn¡¯t you show concern as my bodyguard? Or have all your duties shifted to being that bird¡¯s caregiver?¡± At those last words, the prince¡¯s gaze slid to Odilia¡¯s perch on the couch.


    Merlin stepped to where the prince stood, tugging at the collar of his sleeves. ¡°The smell of pine and dirt. I know where you¡¯ve been. The rifle you were carrying even confirmed it.¡± Merlin looked exhausted. ¡°You went back to that lake.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question, and the two men continued to silently stare into each other¡¯s eyes.


    Odilia, who¡¯d heard all this for the first time, was alarmed. The lake! Odilia wanted to fly out the nearest window and check on her sister and their friends. What had the prince seen, exactly? Feeling her heart tremble, Odilia strained her ears to not miss a thing.


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    ¡°Why¡¯d you do it?¡± asked Merlin. ¡°You heard what the doctor said. Even the prince shouldn¡¯t stoop so low as to trespass a citizen¡¯s land.¡±


    So Merlin had gone to the lake also. If so, when? Odilia¡¯s feathers stood on its end.


    The prince shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t speak of the secret, but I can show you.¡±


    ¡°A secret?¡± Merlin tilted back so his face looked up at the ceiling, then looked back down, rubbing his temple between his eyes. ¡°Your highness, please¡­¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t believe until you see,¡± said the prince. ¡°Just meet me at the edge of the woods an hour before sundown. I¡¯ll show you then.¡±


    Odilia let out a frightened cry, but it was ignored by the two men.


    ¡°No,¡± refused Merlin with a shake of his head, to which Odilia relaxed with a sense of temporary relief. ¡°We both have duties and you have extra now that there¡¯s a ball,¡± the guard continued. Merlin set his hands on his hips and glared at the prince as if he were scolding a child. ¡°Did you know that you are to find your bride in less than a week?¡± Merlin ran a hand through his ash-brown hair. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯ve at least visited your office.¡±


    The prince nodded his head. ¡°And I promise I¡¯ll be up to task¡­ for the most part.¡± He pushed his hand up and stepped back from Merlin. ¡°But no matter if you want to join me or not, you must let me continue to visit the lake¡±


    At this, Odilia¡¯s head went light, panic finding her heart in a rapid drum. No. She wouldn¡¯t let them go like that. She couldn¡¯t! For she was sure that the prince had discovered her sister¡¯s secret. Her secret.


    She couldn¡¯t let more people discover what she¡¯d hidden. The life she¡¯d built for herself over the course of four years, would shatter. Odilia¡¯s dream flashed in her mind. The broken glass. The voice.


    Odilia then knew where the voice had come from: Erwin. Erwin¡¯s warning had spoken out to her in the dream. If she were to reverse the spell on her sister, she¡¯d lose everything. However, as Odilia helplessly watched as the prince deducted plans to bring forth to Merlin, the secret of the cranes¡¯ transformation, Odilia felt that she wouldn¡¯t have to reverse the spell to lose everything that was her life.

 Twenty - Odilia

    Ever since her injury, Odilia had been self-healing the wound using magic. However, since she was less experienced as compared to Erwin who could heal a wound with a flick of his wrist, Odilia assumed a nasty scar would remain across her right shoulder blade. Additionally, although the healing would be weeks shorter than the natural process, it was slow and gave Odilia aching pains throughout her body. She hadn¡¯t been in her bird form for as long as she had been the past few days, so she was very unhappy with the current situation.


    Two days and two nights have passed since Merlin had brought her inside the palace. Odilia had learned some things while there. Mostly bad things like the prince discovering her lake.


    Merlin returned to the lounge that evening carrying a wooden bowl of boiled fish. It was set before Odilia on the couch before he took off his overcoat and settled on the couch across from her. He had a bound journal, not much bigger than his whole hand and he opened it as soon as he was settled with his back resting against the pillows.


    Merlin was tapping the pen against an open page which was already half filled. Brow furrowed and eyes narrow, his gray irises scrolling from top to bottom with rapid speed. However, he stayed on the same page for a long time as if he were reading the same lines twice or three times over.


    He was handsome, this man. The ends of his milk-tea colored hair curled at the edges of his sculpted jaw. Merlin bit his lower lip and it defined his singular dimple on his right cheek. Odilia had to agree, thinking back to Emiko, that he was the sort of man any woman would cry for. Not that it made it any easier to forgive Merlin for making Emiko cry. Or so Odilia thought to herself afterwards.


    As if sensing her gaze, Merlin glanced up and made eye-contact with Odilia. Odilia reflexively turned away, but then realized the action might have revealed how embarrassed she was for being caught. So then Odilia turned to keep looking back at Merlin, finding herself lost in his storm-colored eyes.


    Merlin broke his gaze first, shaking his head and mumbling something Odilia couldn¡¯t understand, before resuming whatever task he was attempting with his journal. For some reason, this annoyed Odilia, and she made an audible protest in the form of a bird¡¯s cry before she could stop herself.


    Merlin looked up, smiling when his eyes landed on Odilia once more. Odilia, in her embarrassment, thought that she might be blushing.


    Merlin tilted his head to the side, watching her. Odilia bristled beneath his stare, heart pounding and shivering from the surprising bit of ecstasy she felt from being close to this man. She felt stupid. Like a fool, Odilia recognized her longing for this man¡¯s attention.


    Merlin had spoken to Odilia many times before when they were alone together and she was a bird, so it was to no surprise when he opened his mouth and said, ¡°Do you know something?¡±


    Not being able to reply back in human tongue, Odilia blinked.


    Merlin continued, ¡°Your eyes, they¡¯re just like Odilia¡¯s.¡±


    Odilia¡¯s heart was like a race-horse.


    Merlin ran a hand down his face and stroked his jaw as his eyes unfocused away from Odilia. ¡°Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t seen her since Saihi¡¯s banquet¡­¡± He looked tired, and his silence was louder than his words when he stood and began to pace.


    After a couple paces, Merlin stopped in front of Odilia and looked at her with sincerity. ¡°Would it be weird if I were to go check up on her? I think she¡¯s at home now.¡±


    Then he commenced pacing again and stopped in front of Odilia once more. ¡°Unless¡­ she¡¯s not with her father but still with Emiko-¡± His pace quickened.  ¡°In which case it might be awkward if I were to come.¡± He chuckled to himself. ¡°No, perhaps visiting her home is more awkward.¡±


    After that he grew silent again before declaring, ¡°I must be mad,¡± as he shoved on his overcoat and left the room without a glance back at the bird who witnessed it all.


    Merlin¡¯s actions might have been a positive concern for a normal person, but Odilia assumed no thoughts to what it might mean for a man such as he to be looking for her. Instead she thought about how she should escape the room in which she had spent two nights and two days, and looked back at the journal which Merlin had left on the table. Her curiosity swelled.


    Odilia¡¯s health was getting much better. And despite her grouchy perspective on the matter, it might be fully healed enough to move her wing after a day in which she should fly again. This meant that if Odilia were to transform into her human form she could move without bringing unwanted attention to herself.


    The young witch thought to momentarily transform back so that she could see what was written in Merlin¡¯s journal. She¡¯d already begun to gather her magic to her core. It began to swell in the center of her belly, ready to burst-


    The door to the lounge flew open. Alarmed, Odilia looked up, thinking that Merlin might have returned, or the prince was back to his mischievous ways. However, it was her surprise to see two women instead.


    One was tall and built like a slab of board beneath her lilac colored kimono. Her dark hair was piled up into an elaborate coif and pinned with a golden comb. Her painted lips were puckered as if she¡¯d tasted something sour and her thin, narrow brows were slanted into a scowl.


    The other woman was a head shoulder, hair fanned out in the back of her head with a green ornament that matched her kimono. The two women walked into the room and scanned the area like watch-dogs. Then they made way to all the objects placed around the room and began rummaging through them.


    Odilia was appalled at seeing these women enter the prince¡¯s lounge so blatantly. Were there no guards outside the door? Odilia wondered this as she observed the intruders. They looked so familiar¨C


    She soon recognized the women as they trotted across the floor in front of Odilia as if they owned the place. They were the two ladies who¡¯d accompanied the empress at the prince¡¯s birthday banquet! So that meant they must be the prince¡¯s cousins, Lady Hanan and Lady Katsumi. Odilia couldn¡¯t remember which name belonged to which woman.


    ¡°Hanan, there¡¯s nothing here!¡± whined the shorter one, so Odilia assumed the taller must be Lady Hanan and the shorter, Lady Katsumi.


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    ¡°There has to be something!¡± Lady Katsumi was rummaging through a bookcase, discarding any ones that she¡¯d pulled from the shelf to the floor behind her. They were making a mess for women who were snooping around in the prince¡¯s private space.


    Lady Hanan joined her sister at the bookshelf which took up more than half the entire wall. ¡°This room is as bland as his personality,¡± grumbled the lady as she threw down book after book. Thunk, thunk, thunk.


    Odilia cringed as some books landed with its pages open to the floor. Books were precious as living records of history and these women were damaging them!


    Thunk. A book flew too far back and hit the corner of the coffee table. Lady Katsumi was still preoccupied, but Lady Hanan looked up and over to the table. She noticed the journal, which they¡¯d overlooked when they¡¯d first entered the room.


    ¡°Sister, I think I¡¯ve found something,¡± said Lady Hanan, a wicked smile crawling upon her face as she picked up the tiny journal and forced the clasp to open.


    ¡°What?¡± Lady Katsumi dropped the current book she was holding and trailed over to where Lady Hanan stood. They both peered down at the pages of the journal. Lady Hanan flipped the page. Then another, and another, and she kept flipping through them in rapid speed, her face growing red with each page until she landed upon the last one.


    She threw down the journal onto the table. ¡°What atrocity is this!?¡± she huffed, making Odilia jump from where she was seated. She was mad at the women for violating Merlin¡¯s privacy, but she remained still as her curiosity overwhelmed her concern. What exactly was written in that journal?


    Lady Katsumi looked almost as displeased as her sister. ¡°How dare our prince think he could rule,¡± she said. ¡°He¡¯s as bland as unseasoned tofu.¡±


    Lady Hanan had folded her arms and was glaring down at the floor. She looked up, staring at nothing in particular across from her as she sniffed like she¡¯d just faced the greatest offense. ¡°If we can¡¯t find anything, we make one,¡± she decided.


    ¡°Like what?¡± Lady Katsumi replied.


    ¡°Our cousin is a playboy, is he not?¡± said Lady Hanan. ¡°I¡¯m sure all who have been in his presence know his flirtatious personality and flamboyant nature.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Lady Katsumi hand on hand on her hips.


    ¡°Sister, the answer couldn¡¯t be more obvious!¡± laughed Lady Hanan. ¡°A woman shall come to the queen claiming to bear the prince¡¯s son! We shall have it take place during the ball in front of all the guests and courtiers!¡± Lady Hanan was smirking now, a glint in her dark eyes glimmered like that of a snake. ¡°Imagine the humiliation! Even if they find it is not true, the rumors would be hard to be rid of. No princess that the empress invites would want Saihi as their husband afterwards.¡±


    ¡°Oho,¡± Lady Katsumi grinned with her sister. ¡°And if Saihi can¡¯t marry¡­¡±


    ¡°He cannot inherit the throne,¡± finished Lady Hanan. ¡°And we will become candidates to the throne¡¯s duties until the prince is deemed ¡®fit¡¯ to rule. However, once given the power, the two of us shall keep it for ourselves and we will rule as the empresses of Kuroba.¡±


    ¡°Ah, sister, I understand,¡± said Lady Katsumi as she stroked the swirling patterns of her kimono sleeve. ¡°But where shall we find a pregnant lady that would be willing to tarnish the reputation of the prince?¡±


    ¡°Katsumi, I¡¯m sure you are aware of the brothel in the capital. With enough money, a prostitute may be willing to sell herself out for the cause. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I am thinking how intelligent we must be, sister,¡± said Lady Katusmi. ¡°Our reign will be great!¡±


    Odilia shuddered in horror. She couldn¡¯t believe what she¡¯d heard! Merlin and the prince must know, though Odilia couldn¡¯t think how she¡¯d come to tell them. Even if she approached them as a human, she wouldn¡¯t be able to tell them what she¡¯d heard without revealing how she¡¯d come to hear it, ultimately exposing that she was the black Steller¡¯s sea eagle they¡¯d brought into their lounge. And of course that too would reveal Odilia¡¯s biggest secret, that she was a witch.


    Odilia thought to herself that if  she could fly, she would sour over the two wicked women¡¯s heads and peck out their eyes. But she knew even then, that for harming the royal family, she¡¯d be executed, put down like the wild animal she currently looked like.


    The two women began to walk towards the door. There was a bell by the door that was connected to a string which the prince and Merlin used multiple times to call for a maid. Lady Katsumi took it and rang it loud and clear. Within moments, a knock came on the door.


    ¡°Enter now!¡± called Lady Hanan¡¯s shrewd voice.


    A young maid; she couldn¡¯t be more than sixteen years old, opened the door, and stood before the evil women. The maid looked about hesitatingly, noticing the lack of guards and the two women occupying the room. However, because the women were royalty and the prince¡¯s cousins, she had to obey and so stepped through the archway into the room.


    ¡°I,I¡¯m at your service, your highnesses,¡± the maid bowed. Her trembling hands, one folded on top of the other, clutched the apron of her dress.


    ¡°This room is filthy,¡± said Lady Hanan. ¡°This is unacceptable for when his highness returns. Clean it.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡± the maid bowed once more before she made her way to the other side of the room where the bookshelf had been left in a disorderly state.


    The prince¡¯s cousins left the room without another word. Odilia thought to herself that although the two sisters had evil intentions to usurp the throne, they were intelligent. They¡¯d even had enough sense to have the room they¡¯d destroyed be cleaned, although Odilia couldn¡¯t give them much credit, considering the maid was now a witness to their intrusion.


    Suddenly, the door to the prince¡¯s lounge flew open, hitting against the bell by its side and making it rattle. A squad of guards filled the room, pointing rifles at the person they¡¯d detected in the room. It startled the poor maid who was still organizing the books that she dropped the particularly heavy looking one on her foot. Although she wore shoes, the impact of the book on her foot must have hurt since she audibly winced.


    ¡°Ahhh! Thief!¡± Odilia¡¯s eyes widened as Lady Hanan and Lady Katsumi re-entered the room behind the guards. Lady Katsumi had one hand to her mouth and was pointing a trembling finger at the frightened maid.


    ¡°Oh, dear,¡± said Lady Katsumi. ¡°When I heard such great noise, I didn¡¯t think-¡± She made a show of choking on her words and swooned. ¡°I didn¡¯t think there¡¯d be a thief in the prince¡¯s lounge of all places!¡±


    ¡°Take her away!¡± cried Lady Hanan. ¡°I can no longer watch as those filthy hands touch his highnesses belongings!¡±


    The guards rushed forwards and grabbed the poor girl by the arms.


    ¡°Wait!¡± cried the maid. ¡°This wasn¡¯t- I was just-¡± The maid craned her neck towards the prince¡¯s cousins pleadingly. However, when the maid saw the smirks that the women wore behind their pale hands and cold, uncaring eyes, the girl understood. She¡¯d been played. The maid went limp in the arms of the guards. ¡°I really didn¡¯t do it¡­¡± she wept as they dragged her away.


    Odilia watched this in horror as the procession of guards left with the innocent maid. And those cousins of the prince also left, clutching each other like they might still fall over from shock.


    Odilia felt sick. She felt she¡¯d seen a side of the royal family she shouldn¡¯t have ever witnessed. And yet, she was the only witness to it all. The only one that could ultimately save the prince and his throne. However, as Odilia pondered all that had surpassed, she grew less resigned to tell anyone anything at all, even after she became human. Because it endangered her newfound lifestyle as Odilia Kennedy, and that¡¯s what mattered to Odilia most.


    Odilia wondered if such thoughts made her as bad as the prince¡¯s cousins.

 Twenty-One - Saihi

    Saihi hadn¡¯t found the opportunity to sneak back to the lake since the girl in red admitted that her name was Ai. It was all because Kenta found every opportunity to catch and pester Saihi in matters regarding the ball which was only a few days away.


    Saihi desperately wished to escape to the woods where a mystery awaited him. He hungered for it like he hungered to hunt.


    ¡°Your highness, are you listening?¡± The royal interpreter, Sir Berthold William, who was now also acting as the prince¡¯s temporary instructor, asked. He was short, but only because he was still a teenager. Bert, as Saihi decided to call the young man, is a noble from a foreign country, but Saihi couldn¡¯t remember from where exactly since he wasn¡¯t listening when Bert first introduced himself. Bert was definitely not from anywhere near Kuroba because he had an euro-centric facial structure and a head of yellow hair and eyes the color of wet moss.


    ¡°Your highness?¡± spoke the interpreter in his perfect Kurobanese accent. Then he switched to the common tongue of Gardeinia which Saihi hadn¡¯t practiced nearly enough. ¡°Today, we will memorize the names of the princesses and each of their nations. And we will pronounce them,¡± Bert looked at Saihi sternly. ¡°... correctly.¡±


    Saihi slumped in his chair. He hated the desk he had to sit on which had a small butt space and was so hard, Saihi was sure his behind was now its shape, flat as a board. The large chalkboard in front of him, which was quickly being filled by foreign names, wasn''t helping lighten the prince¡¯s mood. Saihi could feel his eyes burn as they threatened to blur.


    A sharp pain ran across the back of his hand along with the sound of books hitting the floor. Saihi sat up straight as his reddening hand registered what had happened. Bert stood in front of Saihi¡¯s desk with a ruler that was still vibrating from the impact.


    ¡°Nice of you to join us, your highness!¡± Bert chirped, smiling with fake delight which was unnerving coming from a man younger than he. ¡°I¡¯ve just talked through each of the names and nations for the princesses so now it''s your turn!¡± Bert turned and walked back to the board.


    Saihi gaped at him. This was just too much.


    ¡°Uh, umm¡­¡± he lifted a finger as if he might point to something. He put it down. He jabbed at a name again.


    ¡°Your highness, do you need a minute?¡± Bert was still smiling that odd smile that made Saihi¡¯s skin crawl.


    ¡°No. No¡­ It¡¯s all good¡­¡± Saihi scratched the back of his head, misplacing strands of his black hair from his bun. He tried again, pointing to a name as he attempted to make a sound using the accents of the common language of Gardeinia. ¡°A, A¡­ Alice!¡± Saihi looked to Bert for approval and the prince nodded his head.


    ¡°Now finish the rest of the name,¡± Bert urged.


    ¡°Alice, Alice¡­¡± Saihi furrowed his brow. ¡°Can I skip that one?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Saihi sighed as if he¡¯d already given up. ¡°Alice Fedorabu?¡± he tried.


    ¡°Fedorov,¡± Bert sighed. ¡°That was the easiest one. Now go down the line.¡±


    Saihi nodded his head, swallowing and moving his dry lips as his eyes ran across the board.


    ¡°Eeezer Kirali,¡± he said confidently.


    ¡°Eszter Kiraly,¡± Bert spoke slowly. ¡°Es-ter, Kee-ah-lee.¡±


    Saihi nodded his head, ¡°Eszter Kiraly.¡± He said it perfectly, or so he thought since Bert didn¡¯t correct it the second time. ¡°Calumen Belasuco,¡± Saihi said, moving on to the next princess.


    ¡°Carmen Velasco¡± Bert tapped his foot. ¡°Car, men, Velasco!¡±


    Saihi bit his lip and repeated it.


    ¡°Seaweea Rutkosuki?¡±


    ¡°Sylwia Rutkowski. Sil-via, Rut-cow-skee.¡± Bert had his hands on his hips as he tapped his foot with each syllable.


    ¡°Sophia DeLosa!¡±


    ¡°Sophia DeRosa,¡± Bert threw up his arms. ¡°By Hy¡¯err your highness, it''s as if you¡¯ve never spoken the common tongue! What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°Uh, actually-¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± Bert interrupted. ¡°I. Don¡¯t. Care.¡± He grabbed a pointer stick and the boy slammed it onto the chalkboard with vicious intent. ¡°DeRosa is pronounced Dee-roza,¡± said the boy with a clenched jaw.


    The boy, probably still fourteen, strode towards the prince and leaned forwards so that Saihi could smell Bert¡¯s previous meal of miso soup and fried tuna.


    ¡°Now,¡± Bert perfected his fake smile. Saihi wondered where such a young boy would have learned this strong personality. ¡°Repeat from the beginning,¡± said he.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


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    When the prince finally escaped from Bert¡¯s class, he was forced into the parlor to meet the tailor for a new kimono for the ball. Then after that, he had to sit in for a political lunch with a daughter of a council member.


    Kenta had produced a scroll before Saihi, declaring, ¡°Since you refuse to have an official butler follow you around, the empress has given me this list so that I, your bodyguard,¡± he looked up from the scroll to make a pointed look, ¡°may direct you to having lunch with the eligible young daughters of our council members.¡±


    Before the prince could protest, Kenta pushed open the doors to a terrace decorated like a fairy tale tea party and pushed the prince inside. The door slammed shut behind him. For half an hour, Saihi would have to be with whichever girl showed from that list.


    Then if Saihi thought that he might be free in the evenings, his mother, the empress, summoned him to her wing of the palace for dinner. It wasn¡¯t just the two of them like their occasional family dinners would be like, because the palace chef brought in samples of desserts and dishes for him to taste in  preparation for the banquet during the ball.


    The prince first thought to just approve of every single dish that looked pleasant, but it was not so simple. The royal family must first taste it, and in order to do so, the royal food taster would have to eat or drink it first. Then after five minutes had passed and the physician had checked that there were no signs of poisoning, then was Saihi actually allowed to try the food. Saihi tried to speed things up by throwing in fancy language of entrusting tasks to the empress, or by approving all the dishes. But then the empress demanded where Saihi was hurrying off to, or to explain the reasonings for each dish that he had chosen. And if he did succeed, the empress would begin to argue over why they couldn¡¯t have the dish he¡¯d just taste-tested.


    By nightfall, Saihi was too exhausted to get dressed and hike out into the woods. He¡¯d fall into bed and immediately fall asleep. And this routine seemed like it might last for days.


    ¡°Can we pleeeeease switch places?¡± groaned Saihi one evening as he draped himself over the couch like a blanket way overused.


    ¡°If we did, you¡¯d have to be the one in charge of the investigation searching for Odilia,¡± said Kenta. He sat across from Saihi on the couch and was sipping a nice, roasted aroma of what smelled like coffee.


    ¡°She¡¯s still missing¡­?¡± Saihi rubbed his eyes. ¡°At this point it''s like she doesn¡¯t want to be found. Just like Goldie here who keeps trying to fly away.¡±


    The prince didn¡¯t quite remember the girl who had been reported missing a week ago. Defensively, Saihi had been too busy with his own growing problems and numerous duties to pay close attention to the revolving world around him. However, he could see the distress written across his friend¡¯s face at the mention of the missing girl. If Saihi remembered correctly, the missing Kurobanese girl was from the Hikizu village and was Kenta¡¯s friend. In fact, Kenta had been the one to discover she was missing when he went out to meet her by first visiting the girl¡¯s home where she lived with her father, and then to his other friend, Emiko¡¯s house which was the only other plausible place that she could be.


    ¡°Odilia isn¡¯t that type of girl,¡± Kenta argued.


    ¡°All women are that type,¡± laughed Saihi. ¡°When push comes to shove they disappear until you¡¯re forced to remember them. Then poof! They¡¯ll be back to bat their eyelashes at you until you¡¯ve melted into a puddle of goo and armor.¡±


    ¡°This is no joke, your highness,¡± Kenta glared.


    ¡°This is no joke, your highness!¡± Saihi whined. ¡°Well what else am I to think? That the forest of By¡¯lyl ate her on her way home?¡±


    Kenta didn¡¯t have a reply to that.


    Saihi nodded at the black Steller¡¯s sea eagle sitting next to him. The prince had decided on his own to name the bird Goldie, for its yellow, gold-like colored eyes. Goldie seemed to have developed an apathetic expression as it stared back at the prince.


    ¡°Perhaps it is time I release her back into the wild¡­¡± said Kenta.


    ¡°Why not keep her?¡± Saihi asked. ¡°Honestly, isn¡¯t an eagle like a hawk? She could be like your very own messenger bird!¡±


    At this very statement, Goldie squawked an alarm and flapped its great wings.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t sound very happy about that,¡± Kenta chuckled.


    ¡°What? So you¡¯re gonna release her?¡± Saihi questioned.


    Kenta leaned back. ¡°Can we change the subject?¡± Saihi didn¡¯t get to answer before Kenta said, ¡°When we told each other our childhood aspirations, I don¡¯t think I ever told you why I wanted to be a pirate.¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡± Saihi shrugged. ¡°So, why did you?¡±


    ¡°You go first.¡±


    The prince crossed his arms and raised a brow, but spoke anyway. ¡°Fine,¡± Saihi thought back to when he was a child and people told him he could be anything, even if he were a prince and his fate was quite obvious. ¡°I wanted to be a pirate because I really wanted to wear an eye-patch. Stupid, right? Anyways, I was so obsessed with the idea back then that I¡¯d play dangerous feats hoping for a bruised eye so that the physician would have to prescribe me one of some sort.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh¡­¡± Kenta leaned forwards. ¡°But how did you hear about the eye patch in the first place?¡±


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± Saihi shrugged. ¡°That was waaaay too long ago, but I¡¯m guessing some kind of pirate story.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°So, what¡¯s yours?¡± Saihi demanded.


    ¡°Family,¡± said Kenta. ¡°I always thought that a pirate¡¯s crew was like an ideal family.¡± Kenta shrugged. ¡°Anyways, what I¡¯m getting at here is that in the past, we were sure of what we wanted. Now, what do you want?¡±


    Saihi hugged himself. ¡°Why are you asking me this?¡±


    ¡°Look at yourself,¡± Kenta said pointedly. ¡°You hate this. Don¡¯t you want to be emperor one day?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Saihi threw back his head in exasperation. ¡°But the key word is ¡®one day¡¯. I don¡¯t want to marry and have kids and be the new ¡®sun¡¯ of the Kurobanese nation in less than a week!¡±


    Kenta leaned back in his seat. ¡°Okay, then what do you want?¡±


    Saihi looked up at the ceiling. He looked back at his friend. ¡°Can we change the subject?¡± he asked, though he was grinning.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Saihi thought for a moment longer, and the only thing that appeared on his mind was Ai¡¯s face glowing white against the moonlight, her dress a striking red.


    ¡°Can I go?¡± said Saihi, standing.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The prince was already up and tightening the strap across his kimono. ¡°I¡¯m going out.¡± It was already decided.


    ¡°Okay,¡± said Kenta. For a prince¡¯s bodyguard, he was being especially lenient.


    The prince exchanged his slippers for sandals. ¡°Thank you.¡± Saihi flew open the doors.


    The prince looked back at Kenta, thinking his friend might regard this neutrally.  Instead he sees an expression of bewilderment and senses the whooshing of air speeding past him and out the open door. Saihi spun his head to look in the direction of Kenta¡¯s gaze. A dark blot that might have been an eagle soared into the woods.


    Saihi looked back at the couch in the lounge where Kenta still stood. They both looked down at the gray couch where Goldie¡¯s nest of beige colored blankets lay.


    She was gone.

 Twenty-Two - Ai

    Ai began to worry with each passing night that she had scared the boy off. It had been at least a week since Kenta had last visited their lake. Her¡¯s and the girls¡¯ hope had begun to dwindle.


    Today, like the nights past, everyone remained sitting or lying still in the wet moss like cold corpses in a graveyard. No one cared that their bottoms were wet and soiled from the mud. Ai in particular sat with her legs dangling over the edge of the lake so that the icy water would occasionally splash over her knees as she swirled her legs beneath the water in slow, rhythmic motions.


    Every night the moon grew brighter. Soon it will be a full moon, Ai observed, as she threw back her head and stared into the depths of the sky.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame isn¡¯t it?¡± said Ri from next to her. ¡°We have wings, yet we can¡¯t fly.¡±


    Ai didn¡¯t have a response to that. All she knew was that they¡¯d been put into some enchantment that enabled them to fall for the wizard¡¯s promises.


    It was then that a dark shadow covered the moon and disappeared over the trees within that brief second. Before Ai could point out the odd occurrence, Ri was tugging at Ai¡¯s sleeve and was pointing at something in the distance. A figure had appeared from the darkness of the trees.


    Ai¡¯s heart began to beat rapidly. Her hands grew numb, and when she stood, she told herself that it was just the young man. Without thinking twice, she strode out to meet their visitor.


    However, as Ai grew closer, she noticed that the person approaching them was short and wore a black dress of ruffles and lace. This was not Kenta. In fact, this person was a young girl.


    Ai stopped about six feet away from the child. The stranger looked no older than eleven. Yet she looked ethereal in the moonlight like an ancient painting. Her hair was black as night and her eyes were an intense, emerald green. Ai found it hard to not stare. She wondered what the girl thought of her, of the girls by the lake.


    The child stopped walking and stood in place before the congregation of girls. Her expression was unreadable, but not in an unsettling way that would draw Ai¡¯s heart to beating uncontrollably. There was something familiar about this girl, and although Ai kept staring, she couldn¡¯t figure out why. The child looked like a foreigner, definitely not someone she had once met. It was the aurora that was familiar. As if-


    Someone touched Ai¡¯s elbow from behind her, making her jump. It was Mako who then leaned forwards and whispered, ¡°Now what?¡±


    To that, Ai didn¡¯t know. What she now realized however, was that they¡¯d been caught. They¡¯d been caught when Kenta found them. This is the second time, and this time, a girl. As females themselves, the seven of them knew just exactly how girls were with gossip. And this person was a child.


    The stranger then proceeded to approach them, and Ai had to constantly remind herself not to step back lest she give away her fear and lead them all into a panic.


    ¡°Hello,¡± the girl had a perfect Kurobanese accent and her posture was noble when she bowed politely. Everything about her physical appearance was foreign, but from her demeanor and tone, this girl seemed almost like a Kurobanese.


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    ¡°Hello,¡± Ai bowed in response. Then, ¡°Are you from the village?¡± Ai couldn¡¯t help asking.


    The girl turned her head towards the lake. Then her eyes swept up to the red-brick house next to it. Her right hand shot forwards as she pointed at it with a pale forefinger.


    ¡°I¡¯m going there,¡± said the girl. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the doctor here is good.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Ai found herself clenching her fist in frustration. She saw in the girl, another victim to Rothbart¡¯s lies.


    ¡°Are you sick?¡± wondered Ri.


    Ai shot her friend a look, but Ri ignored her, curiosity getting the better of them. ¡°Where are your parents?¡± she added.


    ¡°I travel alone,¡± said the girl. ¡°And I¡¯m not sick.¡±


    Ai frowned. ¡°I thought you said you were seeing the doctor.¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± the girl agreed. ¡°But who said I was sick? I only mentioned the doctor because the sick ones seem to be you!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ai thought she heard incredulous things.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you sick? After all, I did see you as birds.¡±


    Ai didn¡¯t know how to reply to that.


    ¡°The doctor can heal you,¡± the girl added. ¡°They know the cure, although they wouldn¡¯t admit it.¡± She beamed and nodded her head. ¡°But you don¡¯t have to worry because I can tell you!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ai asked again.


    ¡°The cure to your sickness,¡± said the girl.


    Kaori snickered from behind Ai. ¡°Sorry,¡± she mumbled when everyone turned their heads to glare at her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I understand,¡± Ai said to the girl. Although she felt silly saying all this and knew the girl¡¯s words could be an effect of their own sickness.


    The girl patiently nodded her head. ¡°Okay.¡± She pointed at the red-brick house again. ¡°The doctor knows the cure to your sickness,¡± she repeated. ¡°And I know how you must cure it. The solution is to find your sister.¡±


    When Ai opened her mouth to reply, the girl held up her hand to stop her and shook her head. ¡°Wait.¡± Her head tilted towards the wood¡¯s darkness.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Ai whispered loudly.


    ¡°There¡¯s someone coming.¡±


    ¡°What is it!?¡± Ai whispered louder.


    The girl¡¯s emerald eyes stared at Ai with offense. ¡°Quiet. Are you not afraid? Even breaking this curse brings a price. Once it¡¯s broken, your sister will lose her life.¡±


    Ai blinked slowly. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°But breaking the spell is easy,¡± continued the girl. ¡°Just ask your sister.¡±


    Ai shook her head, not quite understanding. ¡°But my sister is dead,¡± she argued.


    ¡°No.¡± The girl pursed her lips and looked at Ai squarely. ¡°Not at all.¡±


    There was a glint in the young girl¡¯s eyes that resembled that of a trickster. It shone like great big gems that coerced one into madness.


    Ai¡¯s posture stiffened defensively. She thought to speak back, but then the girl approached her and leaned in to speak into Ai¡¯s ear.


    ¡°I sense a visitor coming,¡± the child spoke. ¡°Now¡¯s a good time to decide what it¡¯s worth.¡±


    Then the girl walked away into the darkness and disappeared around the red-brick house by the lake.

 Twenty-Three - Saihi

    The moon was bright but Saihi found that the forest which gladly accepted him on his twenty-first birthday, now twisted and turned like a maze. Every step he took was in the dark, and before he knew it, he found himself completely lost.


    ¡°What is this!?¡± Saihi exclaimed, and in his frustration, kicked a tree. ¡°Ow!¡± Then he cursed because he¡¯d stubbed his toe and kicked the tree again.


    ¡°Ow!¡± There was a movement of someone falling before him in the darkness. A soft thud as they landed on the moss hewn floor.


    Saihi froze.


    That was not a tree.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    It was silent, so Saihi nervously stood and clenched his jaw from the throbbing pain in his big toe. In the darkness, the fallen figure stirred.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± demanded a familiar voice.


    Saihi squinted. ¡°Kenta¡­?¡± Then he was smiling as he blindly reached forward to help his friend back up. ¡°You came,¡± the prince¡¯s heart swelled with happiness.


    ¡°We happened to be running in the same direction,¡± corrected the samurai. ¡°You were running off to do who knows what and I was following Goldie.¡±


    ¡°Much the same thing,¡± said Saihi. ¡°I am also looking for a bird.¡±


    Kenta scoffed, but remained otherwise silent. Saihi could hear the soft disturbance of the earthen floor and guessed that Kenta might be pacing somewhere beside him. However, it was too dark to make out their surroundings.


    ¡°I think we should stick together,¡± said the prince.


    ¡°Obviously.¡± Saihi guessed Kenta had rolled his eyes. ¡°Alright, let''s head towards our left. I think that way may lead us to our path home.¡±


    Saihi raised a brow. ¡°Home? No, no. I¡¯m still looking for the bird.¡±


    ¡°Your highness, in this weather Goldie is lost to us forever.¡±


    Saihi shook his head although Kenta could not see him. ¡°I¡¯m not looking for Goldie.¡±


    Silence penetrated the air.


    ¡°What?¡± Saihi scoffed before Kenta could come up with a reply. ¡°You let me leave the palace, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I-¡±


    ¡°Then how about you?¡± interrupted Saihi. ¡°Are you so willing to let Goldie go? That conversation we had, remember? You wanted a crew. And the bird you felt was like your own, flew away. Am I right?¡±


    Kenta sighed. ¡°Your point is?¡±


    Saihi clenched his fists tight and grinned with finality in the dark. ¡°I¡¯ve found the thing I want, Kenta. More than an eye-patch.¡± The prince reached over and felt for his bodyguard¡¯s hand before taking it into his. It was rough and sharp-edged like a swordsmans¡¯. ¡°I found a mystery. And it¡¯s hidden in this forest,¡± he breathed. ¡°Kenta, I believe what I¡¯ve found, is a curse.¡±


    There was a soft sigh before Kenta said, ¡°fine.¡± Then he added, ¡°but I¡¯m staying with you.¡±


    ¡°Obviously,¡± Saihi smirked as he rolled his eyes in fake exasperation like how he assumed Kenta had done before.


    Saihi felt something tickling his arm before finding its way down to his hand.


    ¡°What-¡±


    ¡°We have to hold hands or we risk losing each other,¡± said Kenta from beside him. ¡°Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Your hand is much bigger,¡± sulked Saihi. ¡°I feel like a kid.¡± But the prince began to walk, and his knight followed. Saihi didn¡¯t know where he was headed, of course, but he hoped it led deeper into the forest and not out.


    ¡ª----------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The two friends, like two brothers, ventured deeper into the woods; one older who led the younger. For once in many weeks, Saihi was the one leading the two of them through an agenda. Saihi was determined to find the girl in red. He was determined to find Ai.


    Saihi had told the prince everything from his second visit to the lake. He told him how he¡¯d given all of them the palace servants¡¯ grey robes and learned that the name of the ringleader of the group was Ai. And he revealed that all the girls would at once be cranes, and at once, girls.


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    ¡°But ghosts¡­¡± Kenta tried to argue, then realized if the group of girls haunting the place were spirits, they should not have been able to wear the robes.


    ¡°They are not ghosts,¡± Saihi argued, not noticing that Kenta stopped himself. ¡°At least Ai is not a ghost. I don¡¯t know about the others.¡±


    ¡°How do you know?¡±


    The prince¡¯s ears burned hot at recalling the memory. Ai had whispered into his ear. He¡¯d felt her breath and those pink lips brush against his lobe.


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that?¡± Kenta asked. Saihi blinked away the memory and ventured forward, saved by a stream of light in the distance that had caught the samurai¡¯s eye.


    The two approached the light precariously, and found themselves before a woman and a well. The woman sat atop the lid of the well and noticed them immediately. She was watching them with eyes that were open round like two black buttons. Her hair was the same color as her eyes and it presented as a frame around her face that shone white as the moon under the light. She was dressed in rags and resembled that of a ghost.


    Kenta leaned over and whispered into Saihi¡¯s ear. ¡°Is this the woman you were looking for?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± The prince turned to face the direction of his friend.


    Saihi realized then that he could finally see his friend. Kenta¡¯s samurai uniform was dirt-worn and his brown hair had fallen out of his bun to rest curled at his neck. Saihi couldn¡¯t imagine what he himself looked like. Kuroba weather was mostly hot and humid and the two were drenched in sweat beneath their clothes.


    The woman suddenly jumped from her perch and reached out her hands towards the prince. Saihi stumbled back in surprise. Within a second, Kenta was between him and the strange woman and Saihi noticed when he looked over Kenta¡¯s shoulder, that there was a bulge where the woman¡¯s belly would be.


    ¡°Identify yourself.¡± Kenta kept the woman¡¯s outreached arms at bay with a firm hand.


    ¡°She¡¯s pregnant,¡± Saihi whispered.


    ¡°And bold,¡± replied Kenta. But he let go of the woman¡¯s wrist and let Saihi step out from behind him to view the woman himself.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± asked the prince, since the woman had not replied to Kenta¡¯s question.


    The woman¡¯s eyes which stared unblinkingly like a wildcat did not leave Saihi as her lips curled into a thin smile. However, she did not say anything and instead bent over to pick something from the ground.


    Kenta moved again to be between her and Saihi, but the prince stopped his bodyguard out of curiosity. The woman now held a stick, and had created for herself a smooth ground of dirt beside the well. The woman pointed the end of the wood into the dirt and began to draw herself an image. It soon created characters and Saihi crouched to his knees to read the words against Kenta¡¯s protests to remain standing.


    ¡°Ura, no.¡± Saihi turned to the woman. ¡°Is your name Urano?¡±


    She nodded her head.


    Saihi glanced back at the name written on the ground.


    ¡°Can you talk?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you¡­ lost?¡±


    Urano shook her head, confirming the answer to both questions. Her eyes began to water with tears.


    Saihi glanced up at his friend whose arms were folded and brows slanted in a frown.


    ¡°What should we do?¡± the prince wanted to know.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me now?¡± Kenta scoffed.


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave her here,¡± argued Saihi.


    ¡°I never said we would,¡± said the samurai. ¡°I just think we shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    The two men stared at each other. However, before either could think of a proper course of action, Saihi noticed a sound in the distance like a disturbance in the woods. He stood and braced himself besides his guard who had a hand over the weapon at his hips.


    A few heartbeats passed, then the trees rustled and figures appeared from the shadows.


    ¡°Your highness!¡± They were the other guards of the palace. Then from within the platoon of guards emerged two women.


    ¡°Saihi!¡± Lady Hanan and Lady Katsumi crowded next to the prince with their fans flapping in rapidity.


    ¡°Everyone in the palace was soooo worried!¡± cried Lady Katsumi. ¡°It¡¯s a good thing we thought to check the woods too.¡±


    ¡°We followed the guards because we feared the worst!¡± added Lady Hanan.


    Before Saihi could reply to his cousins, the two women¡¯s heads swiveled to look at Urano who stood silently by the well.


    ¡°My,¡± gasped Hanan.


    ¡°Well goodness!¡± said Katsumi.


    The two ladies looked at one another and slowly looked back at Urano who looked back at them with an unreadable expression. Saihi thought that if anything, Urano simply looked bored. ¡°Is she¡­?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s lost and exhausted,¡± Saihi interjected.


    The cousins¡¯ lips curled into a smile.


    ¡°Let us take her back to the palace,¡± suggested Lady Katsumi. ¡°It is late. After rest, the search for her family will begin tomorrow.¡±


    Saihi realized then, that he would never get to find Ai today. Kenta was talking to the other guards, and when the prince¡¯s cousins spoke to the closest line of samurai, they came to surround the prince like a cage of bodies and armor.


    Saihi was too busy thinking about his loss of not seeing the girl-in-red that he didn¡¯t even notice when Urano¡¯s bored expression twisted into a wolfish smile.