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M E N U
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 blue + green |
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BACK TO NOWHERE by: bluegreen13
previously: in chapter 6, awakening, the villains were introduced. this is actually what happens to megumi after 5. . .
chapter seven: keesha
Merle was a very cheery woman. She was always busy with something. So she arranged someone to accompany Megumi whenever she couldn’t. That was how Megumi found herself standing in front of the tall, dashing, and handsome Davin Meize. “So, Megumi,” Merle merrily said. “This is Davin. He is the youngest in the castle samurai. He will show you around and keep you company.” Megumi was about to say that she didn’t really need a chaperone, she could make it around without someone (she was the strong-willed, independent type; although also shy sometimes^.~). But she quickly changed her mind. She wouldn’t mind company. “Davin, this is Megumi,” Merle said cheerfully. The catwoman might already be in her mid-thirties, but she certainly didn’t feel that old. She was always running around the castle, enjoying herself. Davin smiled at her. It was the kind of smile you immediately fall in love with. Megumi thought so too. She was mesmerized by this handsome young man. He had long red hair, tied in a neat ponytail. His eyes were amber. Fiery. Reddish, brownish, with golden flecks. “So,” Megumi cleared her throat. “How old are you?” They were seating along the pond. “I’m twenty,” he answered. “How about you?” He had a nice voice. “I’m sixteen,” Megumi shrugged. *What a nice conversation topic.* she thought. *How about your great-grandma? How old is she?* And then she remembered Kale. She had promised herself to ask about him. After all, he could be her brother. It seemed a little awkward to ask Davin than Merle, but it was a better conversation than ages. “Tell me about Prince Kale,” Megumi declared. “Prince Kale?” Davin asked. “What do you want to know?” “Ummm, how old is he?” *Great, I had to ask for the age.* “He’s seventeen.” “Who’s his mother? I don’t see a queen anywhere,” Megumi pressed on, eager to find out about everything. And the prince was older by a year than her. How could that be? The king had a son already when he and mom had me? She frowned. But Davin didn’t seem to notice the change in her expression. “No one knows,” Davin said. “He was found in the forest when he was only a baby. I was only around four then. I don’t remember much.” He looked at Megumi to see if she was still listening. He continued when he saw that she was. “Rumors said that the king was heartbroken. There was this woman--I think she was from the Mystic Moon, the same place you came from as I was told. Anyway, she was going to be his queen, and then she left. The king was heartbroken and refused to marry. He adopted Kale as son so he could be king after him. He loves him as one would love his own flesh and blood,” Davin stopped. Oh. Now she understood. The woman who was going to be queen was her mother, Kanzaki Hitomi. *Why did she leave?* “The wheels of fortune turn as it pleases,” she whispered. “What?” Davin asked. “Oh nothing,” she smiled up at him. “Does Kale know?” “Oh, everyone does. Kale and Van engaged in a blood pact when he was baptized so he’s of the royal line now,” Davin explained. So, Kale wasn’t her brother. . . “Why do you ask? Do you like the prince?” Davin asked teasingly. “No!” Megumi exclaimed, blushing. “Well, I’m much more available than he is,” Davin joked in a teasing manner. Megumi blushed furiously. Her face was turning a deep scarlet. Was Davin actually flirting with her?! Davin chuckled. “The prince is nearly engaged to a princess of another country. Asturia. The Council arranged it,” Davin informed her. “I’m not interested in him!” Megumi cried. “I just wanted to know about him!” “Well, so you are interested in him!” Davin laughed. “No! Well, yes, but not in that way. I’m just interested in facts about him,” Megumi argued. “Just like I’m interested in everything else around here. Tell me about yourself.” “The prince is pretty much a loner. He likes keeping to himself. If you like a talker, his not your type,” Davin said. “I’m pretty much one of the talkers here. As you can see I’m already rambling on here.” He grinned. Megumi blushed. Then she remembered her “conversation” with the prince the night before. He was really like that? Now she felt even more bad. The prince was only having time for himself and she disturbed him. She forced herself to take her mind off him. “I told you to tell me about you!’ Megumi smiled. “Aren’t I? I just told you that I’m a talker,” he chuckled. “That’s about me!” --- Shayla saw Megumi with Davin of the castle samurai. Davin was cute and it suited Megumi just fine to be with him. *As long as she stays away from Prince Kale.* She had at first felt threaten by this girl from the Mystic Moon. She had been with Kale for as long as she can remember and she loved him. She knew him better than almost anyone else. She still felt threatened by this mysterious girl from the Mystic Moon, but seeing her with Davin made her breath easier. “Hello Shayla!” someone said behind her. It was the Lady Merle. “Do you know that Princess Keesha has arrived?” the catwoman said. “Keesha?” “Yes, the Keesha that the Council has chosen for Prince Kale,” Merle smiled. The Keesha that is Millerna and Dryden Fassa’s daughter!” Shayla’s eyes widened. Chosen for Prince Kale! She had to see this princess! --- Merle chuckled. She had let the little fairy fly away in hurry. She knew that both Millerna didn’t want to arrange marriages for their children. They just knew that they needed to do it. To stop their Advisers from pestering them and at the same time, strengthen the alliance between their countries. And Millerna thought better of it. The husband she had now was arranged for him yet she was happy. Van knew that Keesha was a nice girl. And Kale needed to meet other girls. --- Megumi headed back to the palace with Davin. When they arrived, there was some sort of commotion. “What’s happening?” Megumi asked to the person nearest her. “Princess Keesha has arrived.” There was some sort of line. Like in a wedding, making way for the bride and groom. Except they were making way for a girl. A girl who looked around 2 or 3 years younger than her. The girl was pretty. She had baby blue eyes and long blue-black hair which was tied in a low ponytail. She was wearing a long dress made of some sheer clothing material^. “She’s very pretty,” Megumi murmured. “She should be,” said the same woman who told her who she was. “She can be the future queen.” Megumi’s eyes widened. Queen? She doubted that Kale even knew her! She nudged Davin with her elbow. “That’s her,” she said. “I know. Princess Keesha,” Davin said. “Where are they taking her?” “My guess is to Prince Kale. Probably the king’s library,” Davin answered. Megumi just nodded. She was very, very, ‘very’ beautiful. Davin smiled at her. She smiled back. Only one thing was for certain at that point: she had a huge crush on a certain young samurai. --- Megumi walked the royal garden alone that afternoon. Merle was not available and Davin had some training to do. She was happy alone. She wasn’t really anti-social but she always enjoyed some time to think. Time to think, like the prince always had. She wasn’t pissed off at him anymore. She understood. He was a loner and she respected that. She chose to retreat under a big shady tree. She’d had enough of the sun. Not quite contented, she climbed the tree. Time to think. Time to sort everything out. Climbing the tree, it was one of those moments that she felt glad about wearing those tan hiking boots to school. She was the only kid in school who wore them. She wore them because she felt comfortable in them. They were her trademark shoes. She was known for them. And she was contented. Anyway, it wasn’t long before she detected movements near her. She saw that it was Kale and Keesha. Despite herself, she giggled. Kale looked so stiff and awkward and Keesha looked absolutely shy. She also knew that it was wrong to spy or eavesdrop on someone but she just couldn’t help herself. She was oozing with curiosity to know what will happen. She was surprised that for once, Shayla wasn’t tagging along on Kale. Megumi could see that the tips of Kale’s ears were bright red. And Keesha, too, was blushing. “He probably isn’t too much around girls his age,” she concluded. She giggled again. The two of them were not talking at all. --- Keesha felt a blush rising up her cheeks. She knew that she wasn’t marrying Kale immediately. Just that they needed to get to know each other before final plans were made. If she was going to get an arranged marriage, then Kale would be fine. And Fanelia was a good ally of Asturia. She knew that Fanelia’s king, Van de Fanel and her parents went way back to the Great War. But still, that didn’t stop her from being shy or not knowing what to do. She was only fifteen, still a girl. She saw Kale plaster a little smile on his face. She smiled again, blushing harder. She wasn’t used to being around boys or men very much asides from her brother, Marko, who was two years older than she was. She loved her brother very much and she looked up to him. But being around him wasn’t the same as being around someone who you know could be your husband someday. --- “So, how’s Asturia?” Kale hesitantly asked. “Asturia is doing fine,” Keesha answered. “How’s Marko?” he asked. Even though it was only Keesha’s second time in Fanelia, Dryden and Millerna often brought Marko Fassa, their oldest son with them whenever they went to visit Fanelia. Marko was Kale’s age and they got along nicely. “Oh, Marko’s fine,” Keesha answered meekly. “He said to give you his regards.” “I’m glad he’s doing good,” Kale said. *Now what?* He didn’t know what else to say. He hadn’t been around much girls who were close to his age. There was Shayla, and that was it. And he only thought of her as a little sister. So now what? He didn’t even know what to say to Keesha! And he can’t stammer his way along either! This was a princess he was talking to! He remembered the “conversation” he had with Megumi last night. He felt really bad about that. She was trying to start a conversation with him but he turned her away. *Maybe I should have talked to her. At least I would know how to share a conversation with a girl.* He remembered that Megumi had asked what it was like in Gaea. Maybe he should ask what it feels like living in Asturia. “What’s it like in Asturia?” he asked. “It’s nice,” Keesha’s eyes sparkled. She started talking. It looked like she like talking about her country. Kale smiled. He was thanking Megumi silently. --- Megumi couldn’t stop giggling silently while she watched the “couple.” He had started to ask the princess questions that were similar to those she herself had asked him last night. *Maybe I did help him in a way. At least I didn’t only bother him.* She was feeling good again. She was looking at the two talking when she heard a loud explosion. “What’s that!?” she asked herself. It seemed near. That was when she saw something in the sky. It seemed familiar. Like something she had seen In dreams she had when she was a little girl. It looked like a dragon. But it was a machine. Or it looked like it. It looked like one of those machines she had most frequently dreamt about. Only it was red and black. “What is that?” she whispered. And then she noticed that there was fire coming out of the dragon’s mouth. Or what seemed to be a dragon and a dragon’s mouth. She noticed that Kale and Keesha were staring at it too. Keesha was screaming. She could hear her. And then Keesha was running past her tree. She could see tears. Tears not of grief or of joy. But tears because she was afraid. Megumi guessed that she didn’t know where she was going. She had panicked. She herself was near to panicking but she was more calm. Well, until there was a loud explosion right near her tree. --- Kale ran after Keesha. And then something exploded behind him. He turned around but there was something on top of him. Something had fallen on him. “Megumi?” he asked. “What are you doing here?” Megumi blushed. She noticed that she was now caught. Kale probably figured out that she was listening to everything that had been said. Furthermore, they realized that they were right on top of each other. But there were lots more that needed attention. Like what was that in the sky. They heard Shayla’s shrill voice looking for Kale. “Prince Kale! Prince Kale!” she cried. “I’m here Shayla,” he said. When she saw them, Megumi was still on top of Kale. “Humph!” she frowned. Blushing a deep crimson, Megumi got off Kale. “What’s happening?” To be continued. . .
notes:
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| six // eight |