@All Readers: Follow up on the previous character... Eri was able to recognize the kitten cause when she freaked her, she had revealed herself (Aura, smell etc)... Even though she did not change back to herself, but was close to hence her eyes were the first to show the signs of it. Hence the pup is able to recognize her in her pet form. (thanks to Aussie for the question~)
Risa is not longer the reaction queen we know~ she have her reasons in this story... you will know part of it soon~ (Thanks to Hammy)
I hope i have not lost anyone with the time line of the story~ I hope this is enough TakaGaki for now
@The Rest of the comments~: As usual~ Look up!
Chapter 8
Royal Garden WalkBack in the royal chamber, a certain exhausted raven girl too, was on her bed. Her Mother had call upon her to purify the sycamore tree again. Recently, dark shady spots had been appearing on the canopy area, causing a weird energy to disturb the tree life stream, hence affecting the barrier upon the Ice Palace.
As for now, the problem had yet to propagate out of the Palace but since the ancient tree was connected to the whole of Esmerelda, it could easily disrupt the balance of life in the utopia if the issue persisted. The purifying spell was just a temperately solution. That was why the older Niigaki had been busy since his arrival. Much is needed to find the root of the problem since this was the first time in the long history that ever the tree was affected by an external force. For the time being, it is still a hush-hush matter as not to affect the peacefulness of the kingdom.
Seating up lazily, Ai chuckled as she notices her slightly drenched kitten licking its paw near her basket. A smile gently graced her face as the kitten hopped onto the bed and lay on her lap. Stroking her black fur, she realized that it had been really long since she had sure a good time. She could not even remember when the last time she laughed her heart out was or when she sincerely smiled.
Remembering that the brunette gave her something before she left, she fished the small crystal ball out from her pocket. Even though it may look like a normal crystal ball, the Princess can faintly feel the energy binding the orb. Lying down on her back again, she examined the bluish-purple orb.
Actually, Ai had long heard about an alluring demon slayer from the Niigaki family, who alone with her Inukami cleared a colony of demons that several generation of Niigakis failed to put down. However, it was not for the usual pride and family name thingy. It was said to be that she went after an argument with her grandfather on her ability and so as to prove him wrong, the demons were the receiving end to the brat’s tantrum. A reckless brat though but she have her abilities. Rumor has it too that the girl is actually inhuman. But that was never proven anyway. As for Ai, she has always thought the girl was just an arrogant brat that happens to be so magically empowered. She was almost sure the girl only had raw brutal power but all that she had shown her up till now, only brat was true.
Ai was never one good around stranger. However, Risa was an exception. The girl seems to already have glided passed the word “stranger” swiftly in less than one day. Maybe it was because she felt as if there were no distant between her and the girl as she hardly even sees her as a Princess like everyone else do. She always thought they were nothing but wearing a smiling mask when dealing with the royalties. Being treated with uppermost respect is what the raven hates actually. If given a choice, she rather be a random nobody.
After the initial drag, Ai had released the slightly rougher hand as they proceeded to the inner part of the garden. Of course, she received some silent treatment plus a mighty pout. Even so, the silent around them was pretty comfortable.
Occasionally, the only sound that breaks the silent would be the growling from her kitten followed by the soft rustling sound from the pup’s escape. Seriously, you had to salute the pup. Her kitten was infamous for her behaviors. Other then she alone plus a few minority of the animal population, the kitten will practically claw anyone that goes near her. Tiny and cute she may be but a terrifying monster when agitated. Even so, the pup that was
this close to being hunted down was still determined to befriend her nasty kitten.
Ai was sure, even though the puppy is very much capable of retaliating when her kitten had flared up but just chose to avoid it. The extremely adorable and curious baby just had zero intention in harming anything.
The rain had started out heavy but gradually lighten down to a small drizzle before stopping.
Suddenly, she felt her company stiffened and seems to be on guard.
“Hey…did you feel that?” the girl whispered. Those were the first words spoken from the brunette since the start of the walk.
“What?” she pretended
“It’s like something is following us…” the girl further lowering her voice before turning briefly to check.
But Ai just shrugged her shoulder and asked the girl to move on. After that, Risa seems back to her normal self but Ai could faintly feel the change in the energy around her. Risa had her senses magically heighten. It was quite entertaining to watch this new side of her company. It must have been the numerous escapes from death during expeditions that caused the girl to be so wary of any slight changes in the surrounding.
“What’s wrong?” she asked when the girl suddenly turns and walked up to check on a little tree.
“This thing shouldn’t be here. It was way back there just now.” Risa walks around to inspect it before leaning in to take a closer look.
Ai could only grin as Risa jerked a few steps back from the huge eyes that were staring back at hers when she closed in. Even though slightly taken aback, the girl still kept her cool.
The little one was the newest addition to the Dendroid guards. Dendroid guards are mystic creatures that look exactly like a tree in their resting state and existed only in the forest of Esmerelda. They are destined to guard the forests from any external force. It seems like the mischievous little tree tried playing some stalking game before exposing itself.
As expected, almost immediately, the curious pup dashed straight up to the newcomer to check it out. Risa just stood a distant away, watching the tree giggles as Eri brushes up against it before turning to her with a questioning look and continues the rubbing.
“Alright guys…Meet my new guest.”
With that, as if the parts of the forest came to life, the dendroid guards start to slowly emerge from their individual hiding spots. As the troop gathered infront of them, Ai could see the slightly amazed look from Risa’s face. Who can blame her? How often do you see such big cluster of trees moving in unison toward you?
As for Eri, the adoring pup was so amazed that she was bouncing around, brushing up on every guard before trying her best to climb the little tree…despite being a dog. At the side, the kitten just yawned as she looked at the stupidly hyperactive pup.
“This is Treena… leader of the pack.” Ai introduced as a human size tree turned stiffly to extend a branch towards the girl for a “hand shake”.
“Niigaki Risa” the girl introduced herself and reached out for the branch.
Seeing this friendly gesture, Ai presses her mouth into a thin line and anticipates for the show.
As expected, came the loud cracking sound. The raven girl could only watch delightfully as the younger Niigaki’s eyes widen in shock, staring back and fro from Treena to the broken branch in the hand. Then, those bluish-purple orbs shifted to her briefly, pleadingly. Ai just chose to give her an unreadable smile. It’s really too cute seeing the normally well composed girl finally losing her cool.
What came out next sends Ai into fits of laughter.
“Arr…I’m…I’m sorry about…your branch…arr… I mean your arm…” the girl that had practically mowed down thousands of demons is actually stuttering, moreover, about something like this.
Those shifty eyes then turned sharply to her, eyeing her to quieten down but of course the Princess ignored that silent pleading. The brunette was now eyeing her as if she was some lunatic before getting back to the task on hand.
“I… ar… I’ll try to fix it…don’t worry… I’ll put it in a cup of water before I find a way so that it wouldn’t dry up.” Risa was actually getting a little desperate.
“And you! Will you stop that…This is serious!” Turning her head from halfway on the tree trunk, Eri wigged her tail playfully at her master before giving up the attempt to conquer the little tree when her master persisted.
Ai was laughing so much that she had to turn away from the whole scene. Eri was now whining sadly and hiding behind her leg instead of Risa’s.
“And you… will you stop that too.” The girl hissed slightly at the Princess, who had her back facing her.
“Don’t worry about that. Take it as a souvenir. It will grow again.” Came a husky voice. Turning to her side, Risa smiled weakly to the speaking tree.
“Treena does that all the time.” Finally the raven girl was able to cool down enough to speak again while turning back.
“I guess we should be back on our duties. Nice to meet you child…oh! And you too!” Treena giggled as Eri brushes up against her and wigged her fluffy tail.
“And of course, blessings for my Princess as well.” With that, together with the whole troop, Treena hummed a smoothing tune. Noticing a golden glow slowly surrounding the raven girl, Risa realized that they were casting a blessing spell on her.
“Thanks” the girl smiled presently and gave the tree a hug. As sudden as they have appeared, the guards disappeared without a track back into the forest. The pup decided to tail the little one until she finally lost track of her in the vast amount of greenery.
“You did on that purpose, didn’t you?” Risa gave another mighty pout.
Giving her a mischievous grin, Ai continued her walk.
“Hey! What am I going to do with this?” Risa jogs up to Ai and waved the stick around.
Taking the branch from Risa’s hand, she threw it far ahead of them. And knowingly, a white fur ball was now doing her very own speedy dash toward the area that the still airborne stick might fall.
“There.” she answered the girl nonchalantly and Risa could only shakes her head slightly in amazement.
Then again, they fell into yet another serene silent. After a while, when Eri got tired of her fetching games, she settled again on poking the kitten, but this time with the stick in her mouth.
“That was a blessing spell right?”
“Hmm”
“She did that trick on you too?”
“Hmm”
“So…I suppose Treena and you are kinda close?”
“Why so?” Finally the Princess spoke instead of just answering her with acknowledgement sounds.
“Well, you seem more open up with her, giving her hugs and all.” Risa commented with a slight pout.
“She even addresses you as
My Princess. What happened to
My Highness?” For the third time, the mighty pout came out.
“What happened to yours too?” Ai raised an eye brown at her.
“You know… Remember……” Risa smirked knowing the Princess had just dug her own grave.
“
Ai…I believe this seat is not taken” She mockingly imitated the way the Princess speaks.
The Princess just rolled her eyes and ignored cheeky girl, choosing to hasten her steps.
“Don’t be so petty~ Look… even Reina is not that petty with all the harassment she already got from Eri.”
Reina only sneered at Risa at the comment and attempted to claw the pup that was trying to poke her again. But the pup still succeeded without any harm from the extra distances she gets from the stick.
Ai continues to ignore her and soon, she felt a few light tugs to her sleeves.
Turning, she came face to face to a pair of sad puppy dog eyes that will put Eri’s to shame.
“At this rate, we will never get to the waterfall.” Sighing, Ai took Risa’s hand into hers and pulled her along. Recovering from the sudden pull, Risa gingerly interweaved her fingers with the one that was grabbing onto hers, to prevent it from slipping out again like before.
Risa was slightly relieved that the girl did not try to pull away but the Princess was just looking down, finding the fallen leaves and branches more interesting as she attempt to step on every of them. Even though the younger girl could not see it but she was sure the older was smiling as she felt the hold on her hand tightens.
Before even arriving at their destination, Risa could already hear the low rumbling of water. Finally, stepping out into the clearing was she able to understand why the Princess would take such a long walk each day to this part of the garden. The sight alone was heart-stopping. The waterfall was of such staggering magnitude that the falling water from the cliff top causes a misty layer of droplets around the bottom. Lucky for her, since it was just after the rain, a rainbow beautifully graced the clear blue sky.
“Maybe I should bring you along more often to get a rainbow.” the Princess mused as she watched the slayer’s face turning into child-like one.
“Hey! Look! A second one is forming!” the younger girl exclaimed excitedly.
“You think there might be a bucket of gold at the end?” the naïve girl continued, finally turning away from the scenery to face her.
“Maybe we can go treasure hunting someday.” the raven girl replied softly as she gazed at those shining bluish purple orbs.
As expected, those orbs again attempted to get closer, but this time at a rate so fast that Ai was not able to avert it.
“Eh?” Ai blinked unbelievably as the girl embraced her. The girl went for her cheeks instead of her usual target.
“Thanks…” the brunette girl sighed in contentment as she rests her head on her shoulder. With that, Ai hesitantly wrapped her arms around the younger girl’s waist but tightened her hold when the girl nestled her head into her neck.
They stayed in the position for a long moment, just enjoying the feel of being close to each other.
Gradually, Risa pulled back and smiled sweetly at her before bringing her to under the shade of a huge tree. As she sits down, leaning her back against the tree, she tugged for the Princess to sit in between her legs. Leaning back, the younger girl wrapped her arms around her waist from the back.
“Only when
My Love is ready…” the girl whispered lovingly.
It was now the older girl’s turn to nestle her head under the crook of the younger’s neck.
As to why the kitten was slightly drenched, Reina decided to get a pay back for all the poking she received. Seeing that the pup was amazed by its own reflection in the water at the waterfall, she silently stalked to get behind her before screaming and pouncing onto the pup causing her to jolt and fell into the pool, hence Reina got a little wet from the splash
When Risa scooped her soaked pup up from the water, she was wigging her tail more than ever. Foreseeing the pup reaction, the kitten was already up on the tallest tree while the pup tried in vain to scale it.
On their way back, as expected, the petals disintegrate into dust of their respective colours and hovered high above them. However, this time, instead of shattering the petal dust from the show like before, Risa had the blues and reds gathered up before crystallizing them into a single small marble-sized bluish-purple crystal ball, coincidently or not, resembling much of her own eye colour.
Upon receiving the gift, Ai gave her a questioning look but the girl just shrugged her shoulders, only giving her a mysterious grin.
TBC
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I got a cute voice in my mind each time i wrote about the adorable pup~
One that says in Reina's voice "Dumb Dog"
As for Eri, the adoring pup was so amazed that she was bouncing around, brushing up on every guard before trying her best to climb the little tree…despite being a dog
- After writing this, i actually laugh and put a "LOL" behind.. before backspacing it away~ LOL~
Anyway.. Back to the story.. for the first two paragraph~
Just a gentle reminder that this story might not be all happy days *Evil Laughter*
Topic: Esmerelda [ C.15-Gateway (16/02) - On hold (Writer's note) ] (Read 59733 times)