The Princess and The Mage (Tenmiko)

Chapter Seventeen - Mage's Trick

A/N: I keep getting distracted with side ships so to focus on Tenmiko, once I'm done with this book, I'm planning on writing one-shots of these other ships but the oneshots will be taking place in the same timeline/universe of this story

"Himiko! Hiyoko and Mahiru approaching now!" It was later in the afternoon and Gonta had just spotted the two girls coming back. When the mage heard this, she ran down the stairs and out the house, where she fell onto the lawn waiting for the news.

"Wow! Aren't you excited for news of a girl you're not in love with!" Hiyoko remarked as they sat down on the grass next to the mage. She ignored the blonde's comment.

"How is Tenko???" Himiko asked.

Mahiru sighed, leaning against Hiyoko, and pulled a piece of paper out of the pocket in her skirt. "Let's see..." She unfolded the paper and read it:

"I've been observing Tenko for less then a day, and here is what I have observed/heard:

- After she returned home, Tenko got in an argument with her father and told him she was gay. Now, she is under strict punishment.
- Her friend, Nagito, is no longer being planned to be her husband and instead a man by the name of Byakuya Togami; the two do not get along.
- While cleaning the castle halls, I observed Tenko looking a mess with ink spilled down her front and eyes that looked like they contained tears. She didn't tell me details, but I'm inferring it was from a break down.
- Tenko told me she had isolated herself for a long time, including from her only friend, Nagito.
- She is being forced to attend all her classes in which she hates.
- Before class, Tenko attacked Byakuya (her fiance) and was sent home.
-And last, and certainly most worrisome, Tenko no longer practices aikido. It is both a part of her punishment set by her father and seemingly she has lost motivation to do so-

Day one of observing - Chiaki Nanami"

"She... doesn't practice aikido?" Himiko asked the girls, who slowly shook their heads no, "Mm-mmm, no! Tenko loves aikido. She can't just not do it! Her dad is evil! Evil! How could he do this--how could he..." She started sniffling, tears building up against her eyes... then, "AHHHHHH!" Himiko bursted out in tears, hugging the ground. The mage, shouted through her sobs; "THIS IS ALL MY FAULT! I SHOULD HAVE NEVER SET THE CURSE! THEN TENKO WOULD HAVE NEVER WENT OUT TO FIND ME AND SHE WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN SO SAD! T-TENKO!"

Mahiru and Hiyoko looked at each other. They didn't know what to do. Hiyoko decided it would be better for her to keep her mouth shut so something she didn't mean wouldn't slip out. Mahiru picked up on this and decided to speak, "Himiko... nothing is your fault. Tenko loves you very much. And although love hurts, perhaps it was better that she got to feel such a strong love in her life before getting married off where she could only dream of love."

"Do you really think so?" Himiko asked, sniffles interrupting her words.

"Yeah," Himiko smiled, "I do."

The mage started to smile before she started to frown once more. "But she doesn't know that..." Silence fell for at least a minute.

"Know what?" Hiyoko asked.

"Know that I love her too..." Himiko's tears came back,but she suppressed the need to sob so in order for her to talk, "Or at least I think! This is all so new and I know none of it and it's so confusing and I don't know what to do about it or if it'll change my life and if so, do I want this?!"

"I..." Mahiru didn't know what to say.

"Well, you won't know until you tell her," Hiyoko interrupted, "Honestly, I don't see the big deal. Both of you were happier together, now you're both depressed! Plus, Tenko is super in love with you and any trouble you have with taking these new emotions, she'll be fine with and help you through and yadayda and blah blah blah!" Although her delivery tone sounded rude, everything Hiyoko said was true and something Himiko much needed to hear.

"But... but how will we even meet again with her strict surveillance!" Himiko said.

Hiyoko sighed, "I don't know. You all thought of such a clever way to get five fairies into a castle and all that, can't you think of a way to get one princess out?"

"Well then..." Mahiru smiled, "I guess we'll all just have to think of a plan!"

Himiko smiled, wiping her tears.

---

They had gone inside to think of a way to get Tenko out of the kingdom.

"Man, I wish there was a way we could all talk, including Tenko, so we could think of a plan! That would make things much easier!" At Mahiru's words, the mage's face lit up, "What's up, Himiko?"

"Magic! Duh! I'm a mage! I have magic! I must be able to think of some way to do this with magic!" Himiko smiled to herself and got to work. She took two hand mirrors and started enchanting them with magic. "I have a guest bedroom upstairs. You can sleep there. This could take all night."

And it did. When the two girls came downstairs the next morning, Himiko was sleeping on a chair. "Oh! I finished it!" The mage woke up, with a hand mirror in each hand, "Take a look!"

The girls grabbed the mirror and looked at it. Instead of seeing their reflections, they saw Himiko waving at the mirror. Mahiru looked up to see her waving at the mirror in her hand. "Can you see us in your mirror?" Her voice echoed through the room.

"Mm-hmm! And I can hear you too!" The mage's voice echoed, "And then put an end to it, just cover the glass..." She took the mirror in her hand and put it face down on the table. The two looked back at their own mirror, which was now reflecting themselves.

"Wow..."