Six

The sleep pooled on their eyelids, and the wooden building on top of the mountain close to the window in the room she slept was filled with the soft sounds of people sleeping. And the wind swooped up, over the heights, rushed and rustled through the tough mountain grasses, and gradually ebbed away through the crags to silence.

She was not aware of her unconscious state in the human world. A smile could be seen on her face as her dreams take her to a beautiful land which its beauty can't be described in a few words.

She sees herself holding a coin which was so old and covered in dirt, the engravings worn and the head of the king so tarnished as to be stolen from view. She held it in her left hand, watching the mud dirty on her skin. So close to her face the coin had the aroma of stale blood.

She turns to her right hand and in the palm was a new spring leaf, crowned by a perfect sphere of dew, reflecting an image of my face, softened and relaxed. When she turned back to the coin, the image of the king had freed himself and journeyed over to the leaf, igniting the growth of strong roots and new foliage that reached for the sunlight, robust, virescent.

Her dreams become a blur as her thoughts began, slowing as a beautiful carousel, each dancing as ribbons from a kite string that reaches for sky, its colours embracing those lofty heights and inviting in the dreams that wear festival costumes and are formed of music.

Waking up can be really harsh, especially if your dreams are better than reality. The saddest part of it is, though, that eventually even the memory of your dream will fade - if you are even lucky enough to remember it that is.

Then you're left with this lonely feeling of detachment, left to explore in the empty void of emotions, the only proof that you ever had the dream to begin with.

Her dream ended abruptly, as she was shaken back into reality. Her eyes opened, her eyelashes faintly batting against her lids when she blinked.

She awoke to soft sheets, and the morning light trickled in through the blinds. Shedding herself of the remaining glimpses of a dream, her eyes were still shut as she soaked in the warmth of her covers before letting her blue eyes see the sun's rays.

Slowly and reluctantly, she uncover her face. She blink, close her eyes, and blink again. Streaks of sunlight penetrate the window and blind her. She sits up, noticing she was in a very strange environment. It looks like a room fit for a royal. It was even twice the size of her own room.

She closed her eyes as she remembered everything. It seems she had gone unconscious in front of the King?

Had he taken her here?

Was this how slaves were meant to be treated?

Suddenly, her head throbbed. The pain felt like someone had taken a knife to her skull.

"Mizu ga hitsuyōdesu ka?" (Do you need water?)

A little voice that was like music under a summer breeze, that seems as if one was almost lost against the noise of the hustling and bustling of life but was suddenly found through that voice.

She raised her head to meet a girl stretching out a Donburi hachi to her.

The girl had a nose like a cartoon character, or one drawn by a lazy artist at least. The bridge was so low-profile as to be barely there at all; so that on a face of skin all the same honeyed hue, her nose was a bump, just above her dusky pink lips. There was no two ways about it, she was cute.

Her hair was as waves of pure earth, softly reflecting the light of the sun; each strand moving freely in an ocean born breeze, a compliment to her stillness. With eyes of river waters, in glossy serenity, giving beauty to her white linen which covered her beautiful figure.

"Mizu ga hitsuyōdesu ka?" (Do you need water?) She repeated innocently as she stretched her hands further.

"Arigatōgozaimashita" ( Thank you ) She said as she took the Donburi hachi from her and drank.

Finishing the water in it, she handed it over to the girl and the girl smiled.

"Anata wa watashi no gengo o hanashimasu, anata wa Nihon no teikoku no hitotsu kara kimashita ka?"

( You speak my language, are you from one of the empires in Japan?) Caulifla asked as she looked at the girl.

" Hai. Watashi wa tsumagojuku kara kimashita, soshite anata wa watashi no ōjodesu Caulifla"

(Yes. I am from Tsumago empire, and you are my Princess Caulifla) She said as she bowed.

"Hontōni? Perusha teikoku ni dono kurai imasu ka?" ( Really? How long have you been in the Persian empire?)

"2-Nen Ōjo Caulifla. Watashi wa koko de 2-nenkan aijin ni tsukaete imasu (Two years Princess Caulifla. I have worked in here serving my mistress for two years)

"Anata wa dorei to shite ura remashita ka?" ( You were sold as a slave?)

"Hai anata no megumi" (Yes your Grace)

"Gaikoku demo, anata wa watashi o sonkei shi, watashi o anata no ōjo to minashimasu. Watashi no teikoku wa anata ni betsu no hito ni ittaga, soredemo anata wa watashi o sonkei shite iru. Dōshite?"

( Even in a foreign country, you still respect me and take me as your Princess. My empire had told you to another and yet you still respect me. Why?)

Anata no megumi, watashi wa itsumo shitte imasu Kingu Akimitsu. Watashi no yuiitsu no ō to kōtei ni naru koto. Kare wa watashi no kōteidearu tame, watashi wa tsuneni kare o sonkei shi, sonkei shimasu. Anata ga watashi no ōjodearu tame, watashi wa tsuneni anata ni chūjitsudesu. Watashi wa betsu no ō ni tsukaete imasuga, kare no suriru wa watashi no yuiitsu no ōdeari kōtei no mamadesu"

(Your Grace, i have always known Kingu Akimitsu to be my only king and Emperor. I will always honour and respect him because he is my emperor and i will always be loyal to you because you are my Princess. I serve another King but he still remains my only King and Emperor"

"Anata wa watashi no aisuruhito ni totemo chūjitsudesu. Onamaehanandesuka?" ( You are very loyal my dear. What is your name?)

"Asashi"

"Anata no onamae wa utsukushī. Dōshite sore ga watashida to shitta no?" (You have a beautiful name. How did you ever know it was me?)

"Watashi wa doko demo watashi no ōjo o shitte imasu. Anata wa itsumo anata no megumi o kiwadata semasu" ( I know My Princess anywhere. You always stand out your Grace)

"Asashi to issho ni jiyū ni natte kudasai. Watashi wa ima, shimei o motte imasu. Anata no sapōto ga hoshīdesu. Watashi ga daredearu ka ni tsuite darenimo iwanai koto o yakusoku shite kudasai" (Be free with me Asashi. I need your support. Promise me you will not tell anyone who i am)

She said as she smiled.

Kanojo no denka ga nozomu yō ni ( As her highness wishes)

"Sā, futsū ni watashi to kōryū shite kudasai. Fōmarudearu hitsuyō wa arimasen. Watashi o karifura to yonde kudasai" ( Now please interact with me normally. You don't have to be formal. Call me Caulifla)

"Anata ga nozomu yō ni anata no taka-sa... ... Tsumari Caulifla"

(As you wish your High... I mean Caulifla)

"Thank you. Anata ga shitte iru koto subete o oshiete kuremasen ka Shuah Azar?" ( can you tell me everything you know about Shuah Azar).

"I know nothing about the King. I only serve my Mistress"

"Who is your Mistress?"

"Shāhbāno Abreshmina, the King's last wife. She is very rude and mean but she is the King's favourite. She carries the King's heir as it is believed"

"Have you been ever close to the King?"

"No Caulifla. I only see him on social gatherings. The ones who are permitted to see him are always his wives,especially Shāhbāno Abreshmina and his high court or if he sends for someone"

Silence ensued as Caulifla pondered on how to get close to the King. If she was going to get close to him to kill him then how?

"Caulifla?"

"Yes Asashi"

"I want to ask a question"

"Go on"

"Naze ō ni ura reta nodesu ka? Anata wa ōjonanode, naze dorei to shite ura reru no ka imi ga arimasen" ( Why were you sold to the King? You are a Princess so it does not make sense why you will be sold as a slave)

"My Emperor had sold me. I had committed crime and so he sold me" The lie slipped out, smooth and easy like melted butter running down toast.

Lies are swirling all around her, her lies even wanting to make her suffocate. The empty shape embedded inside her seems to steal her breath and now she seemed deprived of life,or more than dead.

Because of her mission she had told two lies, one to the slave traders and the other to this submissive girl.

Caulifla lied, not trusting her with the secret.

"How cruel of My Emperor to sell one of his golden jewel. He will not know how important you are till he loses his jewel.

"May my Kami judge him accordingly and show him the path he supposed to take. May he come to love his jewel dearly and treat you like a diamond,because you are priceless. He will come for you Caulifla. That i can promise you"

How she wished she knew that her father didn't sell her but she was sold out of her own free will. All she wanted was to find favour in the sight of her father. But if her father could come and take her away from here, she will be glad. She won't deny she was scared.

She was scared when those old fears being created by her huge family crosses her mind. It runs through her head, when she hear the taunting laughter of years past, when she was a Shōjo and punchline of her teenage jokes.