The Princess and The Mage (Tenmiko)

Chapter Eleven - Don't Bid Farewell

"Wait what?!" Tenko sat up from her place on the ground. Leave? How could she leave now? She was just starting to get through to Himiko and the two were having such a great time.

"Yeah, you need to go," Himiko turned around so she was laying and Ravi the opposite direction as Tenko. "Now."

"I don't understand! W-why?! Himiko, I-" She brought her hand forward to touch the mage who turned around before hand, shooting up from the ground to stand. The princess was still sitting down so Himiko towering over her was quite unusual for the two.

"Cuz I said so! I said I'd give you as much time as I felt like and now I'm done. You've hade over a week so sorry you didn't convince me! Hey, maybe I'll lift the curse on that kingdom but just... GO!" Tenko wanted to reach out again but the mage was not having it, "I SAID GO! GO BEFORE I GET GONTA TO COME FIGHT YOU! YOU MAY MASTER AIKIDO BUT HES TEN TIMES YOUR SIZE!"

That threat wouldn't get Tenko to go. She knew Gonta would never fight anyone, especially a girl. He was too invested in becoming a gentleman. But the princess couldn't stand being yelled at by the one she loved so dearly and that's what had her off her feet and running to the house to collect the bag she had brought a week ago and leave.

Once she has her belongings in hand, Tenko ran through the woods, passing Himiko who was still lying on the outside field. Tears streamed down her face and rolled off her cheeks as the wind took the water droplets with it. Tenko had no idea where she was going. She had been guided by Himiko everywhere before hand, and now, to have to navigate by herself, she couldn't do it. Her goal was to run until the trees disappeared and she was out of the forest. People had to have been looking for her and she was sure that she would be found.

———

Tenko had been running and sobbing all night long. She didn't even feel tired. And as the sun rose, Tenko saw the trees thinning as the end of the forest was near. She ran even faster, crying even harder. Then the princess's foot collided with a tree root, causing her to tumble out of the forest.

She rubbed her head and sat up. The night gown that she was still in was torn in a few places and underneath, the princess's legs were scraped and bruised and bloody. Tenko had always been taken care of so she could stay perfectly clean and unharmed. The strange wounds were almost calming; a mark that she had been free from the restraints of royalty.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! TENKO?!" She looked up and saw the white haired prince who had become her best friend and his knight. The two were riding on a horse when they saw her and jumped off.

"Ha, long time no see, eh?" Tenko wiped her tears and hoped neither of the two saw.

"What the hell happened..." Hajime said more to himself than her.

"I'd been running all night," She answered. Nagito reached his hand out for her to grab but she simply shook off her night gown and got up by her own.

"How did the plan to, Tenk?" He asked as he and Hajime helped her onto the horse. She told them about the wonderful mage that turned out to be the one spell casting and the deal the two made and the feelings Tenko developed and they way she had been kicked out. While she told to story, Tenko did her best to hold back the tears that threatened to form. Nagito could hear the shakiness in her voice, but he knew for his own good not to mention it or the princess would have his ass thrown off the horse.

"Anyways, why are you guys out here?"

"Ever since you disappeared we've been sent out to scan the area around the forest for you. It was a huge search party for nearly a week. Me and Nagito were instructed to search the outside forest area at night and were were just about to head home," Hajime answered her.

"Huh? That's so specific? And why did they send the prince?"

Hajime bursted out in laughter and Nagito simply sighed. "They suspected you must be in the forest with the new curse and all and also that since you disappeared at night, you'd return then too. So they put me out here to find you and "save" you for some part of a bullshit heterosexual love story that's never existed," Nagito mumbled and Tenko joined Hajime in laughing.

"Haha!!! The fact that they can't even tell after looking at us is hilarious!" Tenko laughed, as the bad feelings from before went to the back of her mind.

"Nah, I pretty sure they know and are just ignoring it. I mean... have you seen Nagito?" Hajime laughed as he guided the horse home.

"Me?! Tenko is the one woman pride parade!" Nagito also started laughing and the three friends were enjoying themselves.

"Yeah, yeah. Just hush, degenerate!" Afterwards, the laughter faded and the thoughts of the mage crept back into Tenko's mind. "Hey...uh guys... what do you think will happen to me? Like with my life. Do you think I'll end up stuck in a marriage to a man?"

Neither Nagito nor Hajime wanted to answer that. And just in time, the horse reached the gates of the castle where Tenko lived.

"Looks like we're back, your majesties."