Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Sleeping Sora ❯ Chapter 1
[ P - Pre-Teen ]
By: deathbyanime 
Jyoura fairytale. A rewrite of Sleeping Beauty.
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Fantasy / Romance | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 07.10.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.1K | Visits: 724 | Status: Completed
Jyoura fairytale. A rewrite of Sleeping Beauty.
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Comedy / Fantasy / Romance | Type: One Shot | Uploaded On: 07.10.2004 | Pages: 2 | Words: 3.1K | Visits: 724 | Status: Completed
The Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, they do. *points at Toei*
Standard Author Rambling: Yeah. Fic. Um, it was originally supposed to be more the style of Snow Mia and the Seven Chibis, but then it started actually getting meaning. *grumble* Damn English class, corupting my fics.. This is more how I _wish_ The Prince(ss) and the Pea had turned out.
Once upon a time, there was a king and queen. In standard fairytale tradition, the Takenouchi royalty were unable to have children. To pass the time, they took up hobbies. The queen learned flower arrangement, and the king developed an unsettling interest in the occult.
Now, the king and queen needed an heir, so the queen began praying fervantly. The king went to a number of people of ill repute. This time might have better spent in... other activities... as this is the normal way one goes about getting a child.
Regardless, the queen soon gave birth to a daughter whom they named Sora. The Takenouchis wanted to show off their good fortune, and went all out on for a party for the child. The queen invited all the royalty and nobles from the surrounding kingdoms, ensuring that they'd receive the GNP of a small nation in gifts. King Takenouchi invited the good faeries Daisuke, Ken, and Takeru.
He conveniently forgot to invite the evil faery Miyako, who was extremely pissed by this, and considered a lawsuit for mental distress. In the end she tossed that idea as too much work, and simply crashed the party.
Miyako showed up shortly before dinner and the giving of the gifts, causing the poor palace servants to scramble to prepare the extra food. Ha, and you thought the king and queen were upset by her sudden arrival.
After the dinner, Daisuke gave Princess Sora the gift of great beauty: "You'll be pretty damn good lookin'."
Next, Ken gave her the gift of a glorious singing voice: "What kind of lame idea is that? The princess shall be a natural at athletics, and thus be graceful in everything else as well."
...It's a very good thing that they lived in a rather modern kingdom.
Now Miyako stood, and gave Sora a cruel, evil gift: "You'll be inflicted with horrible acne throughout puberty! Oh yeah, and at age 16 you'll prick your finger on a random jagged object and die a horrible death, yada yada yada."
The assembly fell into disorder, and the majority of the guests fled in terror at this point. Miyako cackled maniacally and vanished as the castle guards tried to seize her. However, the good faery Takeru had yet to give his gift, and he vowed to set things right: "Fear not, for you acne will be manageable once you discover the wonders of Clearisil at age 13. Oh, and you won't die, you'll merely develop a sudden case of catalepsy and be saved by the guy you'll marry."
After this announcement, the remaining faeries vanished in a puff of smoke, as royalty are not always logical and will cheerfully punish one person in place of another. This left only the royal family and the various guards and servants in the throne room. They quickly scampered, sensing an ass-chewing to come.
"This is your fault! If you weren't so obsessed with you paranormal crap all the time, our daughter would get to have a normal childhood!"
"It's not crap, the term is parapsychology! And she wouldn't have anything resembling a normal childhood, as she's royalty!"
Suffice it to say that the profanities were heard for miles around.
***
A good many years passed, and Princess Sora's life was certainly _interesting._ Her parents decided early on that they would thwart the magic of the faeries.
There was a decree that any and all jagged objects in the kingdom must be destroyed. This was largely ignored, as things like knives and plows and sewing machines are needed to keep a kingdom running. The guards turned a blind eye upon this, and eventually the king quit trying to have the law enforced.
As for the other aspect of the curse, which both faeries had seemed more fixated on - perhaps because they still inhabited teenage bodies - the queen could do little except provide a government funding for acne research.
As promised, the princess grew up to be a lovely girl. She excelled at sports, and despised any attempts on her mother's part to make her more feminine.
She had a knack for sneaking out unnoticed, and was fond of joining the common children in their games. It was quite a shock to the parents of her playmates when they brought a bespattered princess home to lunch, but after a few years the common folk no longer batted an eye at the young princess showing up in mud-encrusted silks.
This vexed her parents to no end, but they truly hit the roof when she showed up one day with her hair chopped off at chin length. She claimed that having long hair gave boys the unfair advantage of something to grab onto when they were wrestling. Here her mother claimed a migraine and left the room.
So time passed. Sora's mother eventually accepted the new haircut, so long as Sora would let a professional cut it rather than just hacking it off with a knife. (For some reason that makes sense only to them, her parents had never informed Sora of all the spells cast upon her. They decided shortly after that perhaps it would be wise to tell her.)
Shortly after she turned 14, her parents decided it would be good to leave the country for a while. There were several eligible princes in neighboring kingdoms, and it was never too early to build good relationships with them.
***
Things appeared to be going rather well in the Yagami kingdom. Sora and Prince Taichi spent much time in each other's company, and their respective parents began discussing the dowry and which kingdom the young couple would live in.
A few days later reality came crashing down. It seemed that Taichi had been teaching Sora how to cheat at poker, while she gave him tips on wrestling. When their parents suggested marriage, they laughed until they were blue in the face.
On to the next kingdom.
Prince Yamato was very good looking, the princess had to admit that. But when the hormonal effect died down and she actually spent time with him beyond shameless snogging, she found him to be quite boring and not a little infatuated with himself. The Takenouchis left that kingdom, Sora wondering vaguely if it was possible to have a love triangle between two people.
The Takenouchis didn't have much hope for the Kido kingdom. The eldest son was married, the second betrothed, and the third.. not much was said about him, leaving everyone to assume the worst. Politics and courtesy required that they at least make a stop there, however brief, or risk starting another pesky war.
When they settled in for their visit, the king and queen were already planning a trip abroad next year, to visit farther away kingdoms. They'd heard good things about the Izumi royalty's genius son, even if he was a year younger than their daughter.
But these plans were soon to be forgotten, after the events that unfolded the next afternoon.
***
The youngest Kido son had only been seen briefly at dinner the night before. They'd had a brief impression of a gangly youth behind thick, ill-fitting glasses, before the weariness of their journey had overtaken them.
The next day, Sora wandered the halls in a rather foul mood. Trial and error in the last two kingdoms had led to the discovery that youths who hadn't grown up with her were scandalized if she tried to associate with them. If she had to have even one more cup of tea with the queen, she thought she'd go into a screaming fit. Consequently, she wasn't watching where she was going, and upon turning a corner, ran into another person and knocked them both to the floor.
She sat up and watched with a bemused expression as Prince Jyou muttered "Sorry, sorry," and felt about the floor blindly.
"Here," she said, handing him his glasses.
"Er. Thanks." He slipped the glasses into place and finally recognized her. "Princess Sora," he added quickly, obviously as uncomfortable with all the social requirements as she was.
They both scrambled to their feet, then awkwardly walked with each other. Neither was accomplished in the etiquette that was so prevalent throughout the land, and so didn't carefully blow each other off in the habit one normally would.
Jyou - they dispensed with the titles after a few moments of talking - was tall and thin, having grown recently and not yet filled out his height. He was also something of a clutz, tripping over nothing in a way unbecoming to a young prince, but endearing nonetheless. He proved to be a good conversationalist when he wasn't stuttering with embarrassment, and the afternoon flew by as the two talked.
They were disturbed quite suddenly when a servant came to fetch Jyou for supper.
"Is it time already?" Jyou glanced at his watch, and realized that they'd spent the better part of four hours in each other's company. "I'm sorry to have kept you so long Sora. I'm sure you had other plans for today."
Sora grinned as he tripped over a crack in the pavement, and would have landed on his face if she hadn't caught his arm. "No, I didn't have any plans." As he well knew, from all the talking they'd done. He seemed to have a habit of selling himself short. "Come on, let's go to dinner."
The pair raised a few eyebrows when they entered the dining hall. Chattering like old friends, neither had bothered to change into their formal evening clothing (Sora's idea, of course).
Queen Takenouchi prodded her husband. "Maybe this trip won't be a total loss." A marriage to the youngest son would mean their daughter and her husband would live in the Takenouchi kingdom, and the Kidos wouldn't expect much of a dowry for their son marrying into the eventual position of King.
A similar conversation was taking place between the Kido royalty, who were debating how much of a dowry they could expect, and feeling a bit relieved that their akward son would have his future secured.
Neither of these parents were very good with teenagers, and overlooked the fact that if you order one to do something, they're likely to rebel, no matter how much the idea would have appealed to them previously.
***
A few months later, the soon-to-be fifteen Sora was packing her trunks and feeling rather sulky for her age. She didn't _want_ to return home, dammit. The next time she?d see Jyou would be at their wedding in a little over two years, and that would just ruin _everything._
Never let it be said the Princess couldn't work up a good case of teenage angst.
Halfway across the castle, Jyou was hyperventilating. He'd already dropped his glasses once and stepped upon them, there was now a strip of scotch tape wrapped around the nosepiece. He was a bundle of nerves, and the small amount of grace he'd gained over the last few months was forgotten. His main experience with girls had been his friendship with Sora, and the concept of _marriage_ in a few years made him feel queasy.
The two teens said their good-byes rather stiffly. Sora turned to go, then stopped and glomped Jyou with the enthusiasm she usually saved for sports. If the next time she'd see him would be so far off and filled with doom, they should make this last.
***
Time passed rapidly, and Sora found herself celebrating her 16th birthday. Her mental calendar told her that she was past the halfway mark until she got to see Jyou again. She now had the vague idea that maybe - maybe - marriage wouldn't be quite as bad as she'd thought.
In the meantime, she intended to make good use of her remaining time of running wild through the kingdom. Down the balcony and over the castle wall in record time, she hurried off for a game of soccer with the local guys. Though they all were bigger and heavier by now, she was still faster and could play a good game. Shedding the extra petticoats which would only weigh her down, Sora ran towards the field where they always played.
A good deal of time passed before the exuberant voices broke off to a hush, then picked up again in hysterical shouting, accompanied by terrified teenage boys running towards the palace. The king's blustering orders of years before had been for naught, as all that was needed to fulfill the curse was a sharp piece of flint piercing the sole of a bare foot.
***
For three years the princess had slept, her heartbeat and breathing so shallow as to be almost undetectable. As the king's and queen's grief grew, they withdrew from their fine palace, leaving behind only a few maids whose job it was to care for the princess - the king had ordered that no dust be allowed to collect, and that she have lights and a fire as if she were able to appreciate it. The faery's gift seemed to sustain her, as she never grew thinner or needed feeding. The girl seemed as a thing of fey herself, dressed in the fine gown of white silk intended for her wedding, her hair kept at the cropped length she'd preferred, courtesy of the maids.
When vandals began to encroach upon the palace, all of which was abandoned except for the wing in which Sora and the maids slept, her friends from the village established themselves as guards. Any seeking entry would have to prove their intentions honorable, or suffer at the hands of the guilt-stricken young men.
During the time she slept, a prince in the next country knew nothing. He'd only been told, quite suddenly, that his engagement was called off. For a long time, he lived with his parents, obeying their every whim.
One late-November morning when the land was besieged with bitter cold, he left for a horse ride, and continued on towards the Takenouchi kingdom.
Jyou knew little of the world outside, having spent his life in royal splendor. But he survived, selling off his fine things as he traveled south and east, staying in the sleaziest of inns in his hurry to reach Sora.
It was a sad sight indeed, the bedraggled man who made his way into the heart of the Takenouchi kingdom on a misty day in early spring. His hair had been let go and was a bit long by now, and at some point in the intervening four years he'd gotten new wire-rim glasses. The village men who met him at the castle were more than a little disbelieving that he was royalty.
No one had provided sufficient proof for them to move aside before now, and there had certainly been others with more proof than Jyou. And even if he claimed to know the Princess Sora, and they had heard her speak his name a few times after her half a year of traveling, this wouldn't be nearly enough to convince them. The quiet, confident young man seemed nothing like the clumsy boy she'd described as her best friend.
But once again, unknown forces seemed to bid humans to do the opposite of what they normally would. The villagers stood aside, eyeing him warily if he should show the slightest sign of disrespect for their fallen princess.
Perhaps it was merely the memories of Sora talking of her home that led him unerringly to her room, or perhaps it was the last vestiges of the faery magic. Jyou was drawn across the room, and carefully planted a kiss upon her lips.
The princess opened her eyes and looked up at him. "It took you long enough," she said in a voice slightly raspy from disuse.
"I made it though," he replied, helping her to her feet. "Which is pretty surprising, coming from me."
"Stop that," she said with a smile. The maids and village men stepped back to let them pass, watching the pair with amazement.
They walked out of the castle, Sora stretching stiff muscles. She then glanced at him. "You look different."
"So do you." He made a gesture towards her dress. "That kind of clothing used to get an automatic veto. Something about it being to hard to run in?"
Sora noticed what she was wearing for the first time. "Gah! My mom really had a field day with this, didn't she?" She surveyed the very frilly, lacy gown. "My mom took that curse a bit too seriously. I hope you're not expecting us to stop in at the first chapel and be wed?"
Jyou looked alarmed. "Curse? Wed? Did I miss something?"
Sora laughed, then started explaining the situation to him. By mutual agreement it was decided that they'd spend a some time getting to know each again while the wedding arrangements were made, then marry. As Sora pointed out, they might as well, they already had a dress.
Standard Author Rambling: Yeah. Fic. Um, it was originally supposed to be more the style of Snow Mia and the Seven Chibis, but then it started actually getting meaning. *grumble* Damn English class, corupting my fics.. This is more how I _wish_ The Prince(ss) and the Pea had turned out.
Once upon a time, there was a king and queen. In standard fairytale tradition, the Takenouchi royalty were unable to have children. To pass the time, they took up hobbies. The queen learned flower arrangement, and the king developed an unsettling interest in the occult.
Now, the king and queen needed an heir, so the queen began praying fervantly. The king went to a number of people of ill repute. This time might have better spent in... other activities... as this is the normal way one goes about getting a child.
Regardless, the queen soon gave birth to a daughter whom they named Sora. The Takenouchis wanted to show off their good fortune, and went all out on for a party for the child. The queen invited all the royalty and nobles from the surrounding kingdoms, ensuring that they'd receive the GNP of a small nation in gifts. King Takenouchi invited the good faeries Daisuke, Ken, and Takeru.
He conveniently forgot to invite the evil faery Miyako, who was extremely pissed by this, and considered a lawsuit for mental distress. In the end she tossed that idea as too much work, and simply crashed the party.
Miyako showed up shortly before dinner and the giving of the gifts, causing the poor palace servants to scramble to prepare the extra food. Ha, and you thought the king and queen were upset by her sudden arrival.
After the dinner, Daisuke gave Princess Sora the gift of great beauty: "You'll be pretty damn good lookin'."
Next, Ken gave her the gift of a glorious singing voice: "What kind of lame idea is that? The princess shall be a natural at athletics, and thus be graceful in everything else as well."
...It's a very good thing that they lived in a rather modern kingdom.
Now Miyako stood, and gave Sora a cruel, evil gift: "You'll be inflicted with horrible acne throughout puberty! Oh yeah, and at age 16 you'll prick your finger on a random jagged object and die a horrible death, yada yada yada."
The assembly fell into disorder, and the majority of the guests fled in terror at this point. Miyako cackled maniacally and vanished as the castle guards tried to seize her. However, the good faery Takeru had yet to give his gift, and he vowed to set things right: "Fear not, for you acne will be manageable once you discover the wonders of Clearisil at age 13. Oh, and you won't die, you'll merely develop a sudden case of catalepsy and be saved by the guy you'll marry."
After this announcement, the remaining faeries vanished in a puff of smoke, as royalty are not always logical and will cheerfully punish one person in place of another. This left only the royal family and the various guards and servants in the throne room. They quickly scampered, sensing an ass-chewing to come.
"This is your fault! If you weren't so obsessed with you paranormal crap all the time, our daughter would get to have a normal childhood!"
"It's not crap, the term is parapsychology! And she wouldn't have anything resembling a normal childhood, as she's royalty!"
Suffice it to say that the profanities were heard for miles around.
***
A good many years passed, and Princess Sora's life was certainly _interesting._ Her parents decided early on that they would thwart the magic of the faeries.
There was a decree that any and all jagged objects in the kingdom must be destroyed. This was largely ignored, as things like knives and plows and sewing machines are needed to keep a kingdom running. The guards turned a blind eye upon this, and eventually the king quit trying to have the law enforced.
As for the other aspect of the curse, which both faeries had seemed more fixated on - perhaps because they still inhabited teenage bodies - the queen could do little except provide a government funding for acne research.
As promised, the princess grew up to be a lovely girl. She excelled at sports, and despised any attempts on her mother's part to make her more feminine.
She had a knack for sneaking out unnoticed, and was fond of joining the common children in their games. It was quite a shock to the parents of her playmates when they brought a bespattered princess home to lunch, but after a few years the common folk no longer batted an eye at the young princess showing up in mud-encrusted silks.
This vexed her parents to no end, but they truly hit the roof when she showed up one day with her hair chopped off at chin length. She claimed that having long hair gave boys the unfair advantage of something to grab onto when they were wrestling. Here her mother claimed a migraine and left the room.
So time passed. Sora's mother eventually accepted the new haircut, so long as Sora would let a professional cut it rather than just hacking it off with a knife. (For some reason that makes sense only to them, her parents had never informed Sora of all the spells cast upon her. They decided shortly after that perhaps it would be wise to tell her.)
Shortly after she turned 14, her parents decided it would be good to leave the country for a while. There were several eligible princes in neighboring kingdoms, and it was never too early to build good relationships with them.
***
Things appeared to be going rather well in the Yagami kingdom. Sora and Prince Taichi spent much time in each other's company, and their respective parents began discussing the dowry and which kingdom the young couple would live in.
A few days later reality came crashing down. It seemed that Taichi had been teaching Sora how to cheat at poker, while she gave him tips on wrestling. When their parents suggested marriage, they laughed until they were blue in the face.
On to the next kingdom.
Prince Yamato was very good looking, the princess had to admit that. But when the hormonal effect died down and she actually spent time with him beyond shameless snogging, she found him to be quite boring and not a little infatuated with himself. The Takenouchis left that kingdom, Sora wondering vaguely if it was possible to have a love triangle between two people.
The Takenouchis didn't have much hope for the Kido kingdom. The eldest son was married, the second betrothed, and the third.. not much was said about him, leaving everyone to assume the worst. Politics and courtesy required that they at least make a stop there, however brief, or risk starting another pesky war.
When they settled in for their visit, the king and queen were already planning a trip abroad next year, to visit farther away kingdoms. They'd heard good things about the Izumi royalty's genius son, even if he was a year younger than their daughter.
But these plans were soon to be forgotten, after the events that unfolded the next afternoon.
***
The youngest Kido son had only been seen briefly at dinner the night before. They'd had a brief impression of a gangly youth behind thick, ill-fitting glasses, before the weariness of their journey had overtaken them.
The next day, Sora wandered the halls in a rather foul mood. Trial and error in the last two kingdoms had led to the discovery that youths who hadn't grown up with her were scandalized if she tried to associate with them. If she had to have even one more cup of tea with the queen, she thought she'd go into a screaming fit. Consequently, she wasn't watching where she was going, and upon turning a corner, ran into another person and knocked them both to the floor.
She sat up and watched with a bemused expression as Prince Jyou muttered "Sorry, sorry," and felt about the floor blindly.
"Here," she said, handing him his glasses.
"Er. Thanks." He slipped the glasses into place and finally recognized her. "Princess Sora," he added quickly, obviously as uncomfortable with all the social requirements as she was.
They both scrambled to their feet, then awkwardly walked with each other. Neither was accomplished in the etiquette that was so prevalent throughout the land, and so didn't carefully blow each other off in the habit one normally would.
Jyou - they dispensed with the titles after a few moments of talking - was tall and thin, having grown recently and not yet filled out his height. He was also something of a clutz, tripping over nothing in a way unbecoming to a young prince, but endearing nonetheless. He proved to be a good conversationalist when he wasn't stuttering with embarrassment, and the afternoon flew by as the two talked.
They were disturbed quite suddenly when a servant came to fetch Jyou for supper.
"Is it time already?" Jyou glanced at his watch, and realized that they'd spent the better part of four hours in each other's company. "I'm sorry to have kept you so long Sora. I'm sure you had other plans for today."
Sora grinned as he tripped over a crack in the pavement, and would have landed on his face if she hadn't caught his arm. "No, I didn't have any plans." As he well knew, from all the talking they'd done. He seemed to have a habit of selling himself short. "Come on, let's go to dinner."
The pair raised a few eyebrows when they entered the dining hall. Chattering like old friends, neither had bothered to change into their formal evening clothing (Sora's idea, of course).
Queen Takenouchi prodded her husband. "Maybe this trip won't be a total loss." A marriage to the youngest son would mean their daughter and her husband would live in the Takenouchi kingdom, and the Kidos wouldn't expect much of a dowry for their son marrying into the eventual position of King.
A similar conversation was taking place between the Kido royalty, who were debating how much of a dowry they could expect, and feeling a bit relieved that their akward son would have his future secured.
Neither of these parents were very good with teenagers, and overlooked the fact that if you order one to do something, they're likely to rebel, no matter how much the idea would have appealed to them previously.
***
A few months later, the soon-to-be fifteen Sora was packing her trunks and feeling rather sulky for her age. She didn't _want_ to return home, dammit. The next time she?d see Jyou would be at their wedding in a little over two years, and that would just ruin _everything._
Never let it be said the Princess couldn't work up a good case of teenage angst.
Halfway across the castle, Jyou was hyperventilating. He'd already dropped his glasses once and stepped upon them, there was now a strip of scotch tape wrapped around the nosepiece. He was a bundle of nerves, and the small amount of grace he'd gained over the last few months was forgotten. His main experience with girls had been his friendship with Sora, and the concept of _marriage_ in a few years made him feel queasy.
The two teens said their good-byes rather stiffly. Sora turned to go, then stopped and glomped Jyou with the enthusiasm she usually saved for sports. If the next time she'd see him would be so far off and filled with doom, they should make this last.
***
Time passed rapidly, and Sora found herself celebrating her 16th birthday. Her mental calendar told her that she was past the halfway mark until she got to see Jyou again. She now had the vague idea that maybe - maybe - marriage wouldn't be quite as bad as she'd thought.
In the meantime, she intended to make good use of her remaining time of running wild through the kingdom. Down the balcony and over the castle wall in record time, she hurried off for a game of soccer with the local guys. Though they all were bigger and heavier by now, she was still faster and could play a good game. Shedding the extra petticoats which would only weigh her down, Sora ran towards the field where they always played.
A good deal of time passed before the exuberant voices broke off to a hush, then picked up again in hysterical shouting, accompanied by terrified teenage boys running towards the palace. The king's blustering orders of years before had been for naught, as all that was needed to fulfill the curse was a sharp piece of flint piercing the sole of a bare foot.
***
For three years the princess had slept, her heartbeat and breathing so shallow as to be almost undetectable. As the king's and queen's grief grew, they withdrew from their fine palace, leaving behind only a few maids whose job it was to care for the princess - the king had ordered that no dust be allowed to collect, and that she have lights and a fire as if she were able to appreciate it. The faery's gift seemed to sustain her, as she never grew thinner or needed feeding. The girl seemed as a thing of fey herself, dressed in the fine gown of white silk intended for her wedding, her hair kept at the cropped length she'd preferred, courtesy of the maids.
When vandals began to encroach upon the palace, all of which was abandoned except for the wing in which Sora and the maids slept, her friends from the village established themselves as guards. Any seeking entry would have to prove their intentions honorable, or suffer at the hands of the guilt-stricken young men.
During the time she slept, a prince in the next country knew nothing. He'd only been told, quite suddenly, that his engagement was called off. For a long time, he lived with his parents, obeying their every whim.
One late-November morning when the land was besieged with bitter cold, he left for a horse ride, and continued on towards the Takenouchi kingdom.
Jyou knew little of the world outside, having spent his life in royal splendor. But he survived, selling off his fine things as he traveled south and east, staying in the sleaziest of inns in his hurry to reach Sora.
It was a sad sight indeed, the bedraggled man who made his way into the heart of the Takenouchi kingdom on a misty day in early spring. His hair had been let go and was a bit long by now, and at some point in the intervening four years he'd gotten new wire-rim glasses. The village men who met him at the castle were more than a little disbelieving that he was royalty.
No one had provided sufficient proof for them to move aside before now, and there had certainly been others with more proof than Jyou. And even if he claimed to know the Princess Sora, and they had heard her speak his name a few times after her half a year of traveling, this wouldn't be nearly enough to convince them. The quiet, confident young man seemed nothing like the clumsy boy she'd described as her best friend.
But once again, unknown forces seemed to bid humans to do the opposite of what they normally would. The villagers stood aside, eyeing him warily if he should show the slightest sign of disrespect for their fallen princess.
Perhaps it was merely the memories of Sora talking of her home that led him unerringly to her room, or perhaps it was the last vestiges of the faery magic. Jyou was drawn across the room, and carefully planted a kiss upon her lips.
The princess opened her eyes and looked up at him. "It took you long enough," she said in a voice slightly raspy from disuse.
"I made it though," he replied, helping her to her feet. "Which is pretty surprising, coming from me."
"Stop that," she said with a smile. The maids and village men stepped back to let them pass, watching the pair with amazement.
They walked out of the castle, Sora stretching stiff muscles. She then glanced at him. "You look different."
"So do you." He made a gesture towards her dress. "That kind of clothing used to get an automatic veto. Something about it being to hard to run in?"
Sora noticed what she was wearing for the first time. "Gah! My mom really had a field day with this, didn't she?" She surveyed the very frilly, lacy gown. "My mom took that curse a bit too seriously. I hope you're not expecting us to stop in at the first chapel and be wed?"
Jyou looked alarmed. "Curse? Wed? Did I miss something?"
Sora laughed, then started explaining the situation to him. By mutual agreement it was decided that they'd spend a some time getting to know each again while the wedding arrangements were made, then marry. As Sora pointed out, they might as well, they already had a dress.