Chapter Five

Princess Sadako rushed down the hall in fuzzy pink sandal-slippers that revealed bright red toenails. When she collapsed into the chaise lounge, she heaved out a sigh.

"It gets exhausting, all this Imperial business," she confessed. "My cousin really has it in for me— you know, I accidentally broke his wrist once, while we were dancing? He said it was because I was fat and common and didn't know how to treat a man. Well! When I become Empress, that'll be the least of his worries."

—From Interview with a Princess, Tatler Japan

Pearl didn't feel like learning today. Hajime must have felt the same way, because she awoke to him snoring in front of a small television as Matsuko Deluxe rambled on about a bubbling cow-hoof video, interviewing the man who trimmed the poor animal's feet. She didn't understand everything he was saying, but Japanese television fascinated her. If only I could sit here, with a few candles to melt as I watch TV...it's not gonna be that easy, huh?

"Bon matin, ma bichette!" chirped a familiar voice.

Grandma Bathilde hobbled in, her tiny, half-elf frame covered in a deep emerald dress. Another tribute to the giants?

"Have you been enjoying your lessons?" Bathilde prodded.

"I mean...I guess."

Pearl frowned. As soon as she said this, she remembered Dad-- the smoking, suit-clad portly history professor-- chuckling and correcting her.

"Guessing is useless," he would say, "Unless you're gambling. Everything shouldn't be a gamble, Pearl. You've got to trust yourself."

But now, Grandma Bathilde was surprisingly harsher than her father.

"What do you mean, you guess?"

"It's good and all, but...I'm going to miss my old power. Besides, I miss my home."

Bathilde shook her head and chuckled softly.

"Ah, I was always at your home growing up! This should feel cozy enough."

Pearl sighed.

"I don't feel cozy knowing these moments will soon be lost forever."

The old witch smiled slowly, revealing the gap in her teeth.

"Then why don't we go outside? Look for plants and flowers, eh? Some mushrooms might be good for a potion I'm making." She pulled a small, square bottle from her pocket, shaking it playfully. "That might be nice."

"Y-Yeah. Good idea."

Grandma Bathilde gathered two small, straw-woven baskets and walked outside. She handed Pearl one basket. Pearl nodded her thanks, though the texture was scratchy against her smooth hand.

They walked outside, until the inn was but a faint blur in the distance. They walked past the woods, and closer and closer near the town. They could see the little houses clearly in the harsh pale sunlight. It was hot, in Pearl's opinion, But a cool breeze brushed against her skin like long fingers.

"There are plenty of things here," remarked Grandma Bathilde, "Potion ingredients, ways to ward off cave-elves. Things I'm sure I told you about."

"I remember mixing all that herb stuff together until it was thick and blue, but then Mom warned me not to drink it. 'Chronoliqueur,' she said, 'Might be the time-traveling potion, but it's also alcoholic!"

She chuckled, coughing and spluttering as she did. A small stream of blood shot out of her mouth, and she collapsed to her knees. Pearl shuddered as the dark fluid stained the pale-green grass.

"G-Grandma...!"

The old witch staggered to her feet, clinging to a heavy tree-trunk.

"I-I'm fine," Bathilde stammered, "Just an allergy. Elf allergy."

"You don't seem fine."

"Nor do you! With all your homesickness!"

"Yeah, but that can easily be solved. I'm probably getting in your way."

"Never in my life! All you need is a little fun." She laughed and picked a small mushroom."Like slingshotting a ghost pepper in an opera singer's mouth! Bombs away!"

Pearl giggled.

"Tell me, are there any elves in Japan?"

"There are lots of half-elves like me. Each elf comes from a different region of Ko'Trin, depending on their element. Not all half-elves are witches and not all witches are half-elves. You just see how short they are, how their ears point. Their power usually goes with the elements-- fire, water, earth, and cave."

"Cave's not really an element."

"I'm part cave-elf, and it makes me more attuned to rock, to darkness, to the cold." Bathilde plucked another mushroom. "I suppose a better term would be rock-elf, but I didn't name them, unfortunately."

"Is Hajime part elf?"

"Not that I know, ma bichette. He is like one, though. He is so short, soft and cozy! He's more nature-minded than most humans. He knows all four dialects of Saphoise, the fairy language. Especially the Autumn dialect-- Kri so-ta fren gyri!" A tiny pale-pink figure fluttered out one flower, revealing a humanoid body and large, clear wings with visible veins. Pearl's mouth fell open, but Bathilde giggled. "See? She knows I used the wrong dialect."

"Wow. I should learn that sometime!"

As they walked, Bathilde kept talking:

"I would've assumed he was part earth-elf, but since he likes water so much...." She shook her head. "It's amazing, all this time I knew him, he's still a mystery like that."

"What about the giants?"

"Queen Clotilda died a long time ago," Bathilde said, shaking her head, "It's funny. When I arrived at the Humble Blossom Palace in Splendora, I taught them some ways of humanity-- dancing, reading and writing at earlier ages...but they mostly saw me as an elf!" She chuckled. "It's for the best they don't live with humans, though. Much too dangerous. And you know, they see us as equals-- at least Clotilda did."

"That's very nice of her."

"I think it should be standard, but then again, I'm no giant."

They walked a little further, chatting off and on. Words melted into memories. Pearl couldn't stop thinking about Hajime, how he made water change with a drop of the pebble. Yes, it was beautiful, but it was also boring. Then she remembered this morning-- how he lay back, drool falling from his mouth as he snored. She scratched her chin. The cow-hoof video wasn't relaxing, especially not with Matsuko's acid-tongued commentary, so what got into him?

"Grandma...why was Hajime so sleepy this morning?"

"He was busy last night, shaping water into butterflies...it's fascinating."

"I like him-- he's nice and a good water-gazer, but he also called me spoiled." Pearl knit her brow. "You don't think I'm spoiled, do you?"

"Hajime is blunt and says everything he thinks. I wouldn't take it personally."

"But I...I still don't know."

"What?"

"About taking your power."

Bathilde turned and adjusted her glasses in a swift, scholarly way.

"You're not taking anything, ma bichette. You're making its yours, that's all."

"But that's still taking."

"Not as far as I'm concerned. I love you too much to not give you anything."

"But I don't want to lose what I have!"

Bathilde sighed, using her teeth to pluck thorns from a rose. Pearl cringed— though she was positive this was an old earth-elf superstition about one's health.

"Now isn't the time to want routine. Things are changing faster than you realize, Pearl."

She spat a few more thorns in rapid succession, like bullets. Pearl frowned.

"I can't stand seeing you like this," she said, "You're going to die before my eyes!"

"Would you prefer to die before me?"

"N-No."

"You'd prefer none of this to happen?"

"I-I want you to be happy, but I also still want you alive. I want my old power. And I want a man! A rich man! One who will help me and you. Is that really the worst thing-- to want things the way they were?!"

Grandma Bathilde stood on tiptoe and scowled. Pearl doubled back as if she'd been hit, her cheek burning.

"B-But Hajime...his lessons are boring! I like fire more than water! I want to see the Imperial Palace, and I want to go home!"

"And leave me alone to die?"

"I-I...couldn't stand...!"

Bathilde chuckled to herself.

"Ah! I suppose I can't force anything. You still want the playmate of your youth, but as you've matured, so have I!"

"Then what do you want me to do?!"

"Then be grateful," Bathilde's tone was hard and jagged, like a weathered tombstone. "You even knew me at all."

As the old witch hobbled downhill, Pearl stood up straighter. Her heart thundered in her ears, and she felt like she was going to melt into the soft green earth. Several black, spit-soaked thorns scattered across the lush grass. The sun glowed like a thousand golden eyes. It was time to grow up-- with or without the ritual and routine of magic.

XXX

Sometimes, when he is angry with us, His Imperial Highness purposely plays a string roughly on the harp and does it again and again until we bend to his will. No matter what the tune, he calls it, "The Nagging Maid."

—Kanako, a Palace maid, from an interview

"That is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen," said the Prince, lowering his binoculars, "Tadashi, did you hear me?"

The off-duty kitchen servant paused the music on his phone. Today he dressed casually, in a t-shirt and athletic shorts. But even in this casual attire, he noticed that Kanako blushed and giggled whenever she came near, carrying drinks on a gilded tray. No! She only does that about the Prince. He twisted his mouth. But I could've sworn, she complimented my plain white t-shirt! And winked! He chuckled softly. She is pretty, but still...it must be tough for her...!

"Tadashi?" The Prince's voice sharpened.

Tadashi yawned and sat up, adjusting the t-shirt around his soft cuddly belly. He didn't anticipate spending his day off ogling random women in the hot orange sunlight. Then again, it was the furthest he'd been from the Palace in a few weeks. The small town seemed lovely to visit, but the Prince had laughed at Tadashi's suggestion to travel. Tadashi sighed. If this was what Hinata-Sama wanted, this was what he got.

"Look at her," the Prince continued, "The dark hair, the big eyes, the little waist...she's much prettier than Kanako or Princess Achara."

"Kanako's a sweet girl. Although, things might be a bit tricky since she got an Internet boyfriend."

"What?! How come nobody told me this?!"

Tadashi bit his lip.

"She said she only wanted the servants to know, as she didn't want to burden you."

"My goodness...send her a bouquet of flowers or something, will you?!" He shook his head. "Now I'm really not ready to meet that Thai princess!"

Tadashi pulled out his phone and scrolled until he found a photo.

"Here. Here's the Princess."

Hinata blinked at the woman on the screen. Achara was short and curvy, with dark-tan skin. Her full lips were painted a soft pink, while her big glossy eyes were gently lined. Straight black hair tumbled down her shoulders, the dark color contrasting with her tight golden dress. She grinned, revealing piano-white teeth. He scrolled through some other photos-- Achara drinking tea at a cafe, Achara in a long frilly opera costume, and Achara sitting outside with her father. The tall, paunchy King of Thailand smiled, but his eyes were cold.

He scrolled to another picture, before frowning. It was a younger Achara, wrapping her arms around a plump, kind-eyed woman with short, wavy hair.

"Who's this?!" he grumbled to himself.

"That's her mother," Tadashi explained, "Or was her mother. Queen Busaba died in a plane crash."

"Oh, that's terrible! Why didn't anyone tell me before?"

"I guess they assumed you knew."

"What else did they assume I knew?"

"The Princess Achara is gorgeous," Tadashi pointed out, "And she can sing."

"Hmph. She's plain, fat, and sings like a toy doll!"

"Funny you should say that. Did you know, she played Olympia in The Tales of Hoffmann?"

The Prince snorted.

"Since when did you care about Western opera?"

"I...love it." He took a deep breath, "It's kinda like Kabuki."

"So you like old people stuff, eh?"

Tadashi opened his mouth and sang badly:

"Les oiseaux dans la charmille

Dans les cieux l'astre du jour...!"

The Prince rolled his eyes.

"Mom is too pushy with this wife business. I'm not ready to marry some princess. If anything, I want this...common woman."

"To marry?"

"Not yet."

"Ah, Hinata-Sama! That's a part-elf woman! Won't your parents be upset?"

Prince Hinata shook his head.

"I'm tired of listening to them."

"Don't be creepy," Tadashi warned, "You can't just kidnap some woman."

The Prince sneered, revealing jagged yellow teeth.

"I'm not kidnapping her. I'm asking her to visit! You know I'm saving my virginity for the Throne."

Nobody asked, Tadashi thought, rolling his eyes, But…that's…interesting.

"From what I've read, an elf's modesty is the size of a cat's forehead! Aren't you half-elf, Tadashi?"

Tadashi froze. He felt his cheeks burn red, and he instinctively ran a finger over the point of his ear. Lucky for him, his hair was shaggy enough to hide these, but seeing the Prince's sneer was enough to make his stomach churn.

"Y-Yes, Hinata-Sama. I'm half earth-elf on my father's side."

"Then you must have some sort of…stronger urge."

Tadashi looked up at the woman in the distance, heart pounding. She is quite a beauty, he thought, With her wavy brown hair and graceful movements…but I would never…impose! Much less talk to her…she'd probably laugh at a chubby loser like me.

"I-I think she's pretty, but that's it."

"There's another benefit to being part-elf…you know what it is?"

Tadashi stared at the ground, struck by the Prince's sharp tone.

"Eh? You can sneak around better! Especially around all those trees and itchy grass. When you talk, you'll seem all chubby and rosy and sweet...it's like you were made to bring me and the elf lady together!"

"You want to meet her?"

The Prince nodded sharply.

"I can't just approach her. Too many people will notice. Tadashi, you've got to talk to her. I'll pay you extra."

Tadashi gazed at the woman. She was picking flowers in the field, her dark eyes glowing with excitement. She seems sweet, he thought, But I can't stand to see the Emperor and Empress angry...I gotta change this-- now!

"Tadashi?" prodded the Prince, "Did you hear me?"

The servant looked up and twisted his mouth.

"Did you see how this woman is? You'll find her immature. Princess Achara is a woman of culture, of beauty...."

"Immature for picking flowers." The Prince chuckled coolly. "You're full of shit, Tadashi."

"Well, I...?"

"Why don't you marry the Princess Achara? She's your type, for sure!"

"But I'm a kitchen servant!"

"Not today you are! Besides, Hajime, the court wizard, floats in and out. He told me that some French witch's granddaughter would be staying with him. You think that's her?"

"Well, it's possible. She doesn't seem like a witch though."

"Does this woman have a name?"

"I think it's Pearl. I remember Hajime's words-- Pearl Bonita Solstice. A real American name...or is she something else?"

"Then find out! Go talk to her!"

Tadashi shivered. The Prince was furious; a light-blue vein bulged in his neck, and his pale cheeks blushed a deep red.

"Y-Yes, Your Imperial Highness," Tadashi murmured, bowing low.

"That's better," replied The Prince, folding his arms, "Trust me, you won't regret this!"

Tadashi nodded and walked toward the field, his heart pounding with excitement. Who knows what this'll do for me-- and him!