A Modern Fairytale

The steadfast tin soldier

Hey...all this time, you haven't asked about me very much. I'm not complaining, since I feel no need to be the center of your attention anyways—I mean, that doesn't usually end well. I've witnessed enough on the sidelines to know at least this much. I'm happy with the way things are, actually. With you, trouble comes when someone doesn't know their place, and I certainly know mine.

Though, sometimes I wonder—what if? What if I was more?

☆☆☆

Long, long ago, a fairy warrior princess...ah, her title is getting so long. Anyhow, let's try again.

Long, long ago, a fairy warrior princess by the name of Valerie Ginemoux terrorized most nations on land in the name of her King, Alasdair. She served as his blade, taking the heads of any ruler whose kingdom he wanted to conquer, with minimal bloodshed. Their feats were known throughout the land—and beyond it. Up in the sky, there was another kingdom, built entirely from clouds. Their king made different colors and even textures of his clouds, but in the end, that was all they were: clouds. This kingdom, named Navitusia, was ruled by an air elemental by the name of Sepher Andilet.

King was what his title was, but the role of a king in Navitusia was hardly anything like it was on earth. King Sepher often walked out of the door early in the morning only to find a splash of color that was not his doing, or a few dead bodies of unidentified creatures that clearly did not originate from his kingdom of clouds. To that, he could only sigh and order a clean-up.

He had expressed that he wished to meet the fabled "warrior princess". He did not say he wanted her captured. But then one day, two fire elementals captured her regardless. That, too, was something he only found out in the aftermath of the mess she left behind.

It intrigued him more.

It intrigued him more, so he paid her a personal visit. They spent but one day together, at the end of which she threw herself down from his kingdom. She had wings, of course, so it shouldn't be a problem. Nevertheless, out of mostly curiosity, he followed a moment later, sinking slowly and parting any clouds in his way. Sepher kept his eyes on the fairy. Initially, he stared hard, wondering if it was a problem of his sight—she had not spread her wings, instead engaging in an active freefall. He came to a halt when a pair of black wings came soaring from below to catch her. Not once did she look back, but the green-eyed fallen seemed to have smirked at him for a brief moment.

Sepher narrowed his eyes slightly, and only for a moment. Then, he flew back up into his domain. There was nothing more for him to do here.

☆☆☆

He had no sooner returned to his castle than he set eyes on another unfamiliar face...no, it wasn't her face that he noticed first. She stood at the center of his courtyard, tiptoed on one foot. The young female was dressed in a soft seafoam-green dress, flowing gently at the length of her knees. She danced on one leg, wheeling around and around in slow movements, one arm above her head and the other spread out to maintain her balance. The mysterious ballerina's long, wavy golden hair cascaded down her back. Her eyes were closed, her expression calm and dedicated at the same time. King Sepher knew at once that she had an objective—whatever it was. After all, she was right at the center of his courtyard. She wanted his attention, and she got it...but now what?

Sepher crossed his arms, leaning on the fence. He remained silent for a minute. When it was quite clear that the girl had no intention of breaking her stance, he spoke.

"So...what's the deal?" he asked.

At his query, she came to a halt. Coincidentally, she was facing him when he spoke. The ballerina lowered herself, now standing evenly on the ground on the one leg that she had. Though she had only one leg, and though her leg was slender, she seemed to have no trouble standing. Perhaps she was flying—like the rest of them, but the king of elementals could not sense that sort of power in her. She was not an elemental, then, but what was she? That was a question he couldn't yet answer.