Chapter Twenty-Two

"I always knew my niece would get what she wanted. I taught her to carry herself-- but who made it stick? Me or someone else?"

--Zell Sankovich

Hajime tapped a finger to his cigarette. Whenever he did that, he was impatient, and when he was impatient, he talked louder and faster. Amma, Zell, and the Professor froze. Something was sizzling in his veins-- some curious thoughts cooking deep down inside.

"I don't know if you've noticed," he announced, "But Pearl's planning something."

The Professor scowled.

"What are you talking about?"

Hajime laughed coolly before pressing a hand flat to the side of his mouth, attempting to hide his lips.

"I think she has a thing for Cookie over there."

Amma laughed aloud, but Zell frowned.

"You're talking crazy," spat Zell, "She just lost her grandma."

Hajime sighed heavily, his entire body seeming to sag.

"They've been talking a while. I didn't mean to overhear, but I think he's brought out some good in her." His eyes glistened sadly. "Bathilde would be proud."

"Of which one?" Amma asked, sitting up straighter.

"Of both," Hajime concluded, exhaling a long, gray-white puff of smoke, "She knew Pearl was craving a man, but she also wanted her to...uh, grow up a little."

The Professor folded soft, age-splotched hands and leaned forward so his heavy-browed, aquiline-nosed face nearly pressed up against theirs. This was something he did to unruly students in his lectures, when they didn't pay attention. Though not particularly menacing, the closeness of his great size was enough to make Hajime shudder.

"Grow up," he snapped, "My daughter's twenty-six. I think she's grown well enough."

"You know what I mean."

"No, I don't. Would you care to explain it to me?"

"Cap," Zell groaned, "Let it go."

"I think he has a point," Amma agreed, lifting her hands expressively, "We spoiled her now and then, didn't we?"

The Professor shrank back, obviously defeated by his wife's words.

"A little. But she was our only girl. What else do you expect?"

"Now, don't sound so hopeless."

Professor Solstice shook his head, jowls shaking.

"I should've known...she always dreamed of being a Princess."

"Don't all girls?" Zell joked, scratching his head.

Hajime exhaled deeply.

"That reminds me-- I'm rather glad I retired from the Palace. My time was coming, and well...." He adjusted his glasses. "Zell, I suggest you limit your visits with Kanako. She's going to be a lot busier this week."

Zell blushed at the mention of his Internet girlfriend. He couldn't even look at his brother or sister-in-law right now. But he thought telling Hajime about her was the right thing to do-- given that they both served the Imperial family.

"Why?"

"A new resident is moving into the Palace-- the Princess Sadako."

Amma gasped, throwing a hand over her mouth.

"Ah, so soon after the Thai Princess' funeral!"

"Well, the Prince is gone, too, so they mourn-- but they are also practical. As the only remaining heir, Sadako has a lot to deal with-- all at once!" He shook his head. "Thank God Pearl left when she did. She's a lot stronger than I could ever be."

"Thank you," Amma said, her eyes sparkling, "I always knew it was in her."

Hajime stubbed out his cigarette, then took a long, thoughtful drink of tea.

"I did, too. For some reason, I find myself reminded of something Hoshiko, the kitchen maid, would often tell me, 'A garden is not a woman.' I would add, 'A garden grows in the solitude of soft rain and glittering sunshine. A woman grows in the darkness of her memories and other people's dreams. A garden blooms flowers. A woman blooms worlds.' "

XXX

I may not understand a lot about this whole Palace debacle, but what I do know is that Auntie and Uncle are going to hate me. (More so because I'm the heir.) I love it. I'm going to get under their skin— under thin, vein-splotchy miles of flesh stretched across their craggy old bones. And I don't even have to try. I'm just going to be myself. It's like going to lunch. (Though their iguana necks and fart voices take me right off my food.)

So, will they run away from my music? Yes. Will they hate my pets? You know it! Will they be shocked by my girlfriend? Of course! But what they will really despise is how much I like their servants. Kanako's a sweetheart and Tadashi…poor Tadashi! Half-elf guys get no love, it seems. I'll get him an iced coffee and cinnamon roll every day if it makes him happy.

I remember Tadashi. He had a soft voice and always made sure my drink was filled to the brim. He also wrote some songs but was too shy to sing them. I was the only upstairs girl he felt comfortable talking to. I helped him write some songs, including one about elves. It went like this:

"Some brag about giants, and others love fairies,

But the elves' crystals sparkle into the depths of your prayers,

And our ears wriggle at the sight of kind humans,

As few, as lucky as they are."

Auntie whisked him away and said he was bothering me. No, he wasn't, bitch. I literally sat there and wrote with him! I'm going to bother you until your eyes close for the last time.

But Tadashi…I worry about him. He had a fire in his eyes and heart, but no one ever saw it. He always seemed so nervous, yet so loyal. I hope he loosens up and finds what he's looking for— what or whoever that may be.

--Princess Sadako, from a Tatler interview

The new heir arrived in a flurry of a pastel-blue suit and slick leather suitcases. Her parents trailed closely behind; as the Emperor's sister, her sturdy mother was especially sharp-eyed of Princess Sadako's decorum. A fat blue vein bulged in the Empress' forehead, but she quickly smiled in an attempt to appear gracious. The Princess' luggage was handled by several strong-looking servants. She stood at the glossy foyer, hands crossed over her front, and beamed with a triumphant smile.

"You're not Empress yet, you know," snapped her mother.

Princess Sadako turned her head slightly, lifting her already well-arched brows.

"Let me have my moment, Mother," she purred, smoothing her retro pastel-blue suit and tiny, black-veiled hat, "I need to…absorb the luxurious Imperial essence."

Her mother rolled her eyes and turned to her husband. The gray-haired man cleared his throat.

"Sadako, you are hardly absorbing a thing! You look too proud, posing like that."

The Princess chuckled and reached into her pocket, pulling out a small glass jar. She held it out for everyone to see. They recoiled at the fat black contents, oozing slime down the clear walls. The Emperor shuddered, then asked,

"Are those leeches?"

"Good eye, Uncle Akio! Pet leeches— my personal reminder that even if I become Empress, I'm still a leech."

He laughed, his voice loud and fluttery. The Empress shook her head.

"Let me change that," the Princess corrected, "I may be a leech, but at least I wear the crown!"

"I-I see," the Empress sniffed.

"Would you like to see them?"

The Emperor chuckled nervously.

"Ah, no thank you, Sadako."

The Princess unscrewed the lid, as if she didn't hear this.

"I usually keep 'em in a fish tank, but when I travel, I bring 'em in a jar. There's Tama, Pochi, Runa...."

She lifted one glossy leech in her hand, unaffected by its cold wet writhing.

"Hinata gave me Tama as a gift, remember. That's my memory of him."

The Empress recoiled and wiped an invisible window.

"Oh my God! Get that slimy thing out of my face!"

"Oh," the Princess shook her head, returning the leech to its jar, "I'm sorry to upset you, Auntie. It's just that...well, I may not be heiress forever, and since there's a chance Hinata might be found, I wanted to bring something that reminded me of him."

The Empress' cheeks burned pink.

"Don't talk to me about my son."

They trudged upstairs and into the parlor, arranging themselves on the antique furniture like dolls in a dollhouse. Soft classical music played on the radio, until Princess Sadako switched it to smooth jazz.

"She's the good one," a maid whispered.

"But she's still one!" another replied.

Butlers watched with curiosity as she flounced onto the couch for her tea. Swinging one thick leg over the other, she kicked off her heels. She curled one leg upon the cushion, then lifted the other high in the air, knocking a gold-framed painting sideways. Ka-thunk! She repeated this with the other leg, oblivious to gasps and raised eyebrows.

"Oh, sorry about that!" cried Princess Sadako, looking up, "I have long legs, see, and they need to get a good stretch."

"Don't worry about it," chuckled the Emperor, waving a hand.

"See? Uncle Akio gets it. You said he wouldn't, Mother. What say you now?"

Her mother's jaw dropped; it was as if Princess Sadako returned home after a long day of work, rather than to her Imperial Uncle's house. The Princess sat up as maids strode with steaming white teacups on long trays.

"Did you see that article they printed about me in the Tatler?" she asked, taking a sip, "The old lady who wrote it looked pretty-- like my high-school principal if she liked cake. Know what I mean?"

"No, I don't," snapped the Empress.

"That's not a bad thing. I like a woman with a little cuddly fat on her."

"I hope you're not saying what I think you're saying."

"Whatever. Anyway, as I was saying, I didn't like how my governess said I had no prospects. That's not true. I always wanted to be Empress."

"Be careful, now," chuckled the Emperor. His wife shot him a venomous look.

Kanako shuffled into the parlor. When she saw the chatty, big-boned Princess Sadako, she exhaled in relief.

"Good afternoon, Your Imperial Highness," she greeted, bowing low, "I hope you are enjoying your tea, despite the circumstances."

Princess Sadako grinned, emphasizing the mole on her upper lip.

"You're Kanako? I remember you from…last year, was it?"

"Eh? I've seen you around a lot. I'd know your face anywhere, Imperial Highness!"

"And despite the circumstances?!" Sadako erupted into a laugh that shook her whole body. "Kanako, dear, that man was a creep!"

"Sadako!" hissed her mother, "Their son is gone, and that's all you can say?!"

"Mother, let me finish," Sadako huffed, lifting a hand glowing with press-on ruby nails. "I personally didn't know him to be a creep, but from what I've heard, you know. Tadashi and Kanako used to tell me everything. He would act all tough, like he was gonna smack the maids. Then he would grab their asses. He was so twisted, I kinda feel sorry for him."

"How dare you talk to my servants!" shouted the Empress, "And how dare they talk about my son!"

Sadako leant back lazily and crossed her legs over the coffee-table. A short stack of books slid off, landing on the floor with a hard thunk.

"I dunno if he really had a thing for part-elf women or if that was just a rumor. He wanted one for his own, he said, Like not to marry, but you know.... We didn't get along one bit, but everyone kept telling me I was the weird one. 'Oh, Sadako, you're just jealous because he's the heir, because he's more attractive than you, because he's richer than you.' Well! Let me tell you-- what difference is all that, when you're still messed up in the head? And what do I think? I think Hinata turned out that way because he was isolated his whole life. He had all that pressure weighing on him, and it was shoving him down into an early grave. He was lonely. He was coddled to the point of helplessness. In a way, I feel bad for him. But not as bad as I do for the Thai King."

Everyone reacted at once. Kanako smiled. The Princess' parents gasped, speechless. The Emperor collapsed into a chair, like he was going to faint. The Empress stormed over to Princess Sadako and shoved her narrow wrinkled face into hers. Her brows arched with rage, and she clenched small white teeth.

"Do you think before you speak?! Do you even listen to yourself?! Hinata would have had you killed! All the malicious lies you said were...too numerous to mention...but...you! As Empress!" She shook her head, before collapsing into her chair, "I pray I don't live to see the day!"

Princess Sadako pressed a finger to the side of her face, attempting to look intellectual.

"Then you accept you have no choice."

"I...I suppose I don't."

The Empress wilted back into her seat and folded gnarled, brown-splotched hands. There was nothing left to do-- nothing left to do but watch the Palace glow as an ivory speck in the distance. Nothing left to do but watch the world turn without her.