technicolor dreams • a modern fairy tale

• 009 •

Xenopus snorted, somehow not all that surprised by her answer.

"As long as you stop crying I won't, little princess. If you promise me something in return though, I'll actually bring you back you plaything. I spared you the whole kidnapping-drollery, so a little reward for this one at least would be nice."

"Whatever you want," she said hurriedly, hiccoughing. "I'll give you anything! You can have my purse - well, no, they also still have it... and my money, too. But these bracelets and rings! You can have them! They're made of real gold!" The girl gestured wildly to emphasise her words, practically throwing her arm in Xenopus' face, and the jewellery jingled annoyingly at the movement.

Xenopus took a moment or two to think about this offer, about the cash the bracelets probably were worth, and about all the happy moments he could buy himself with said cash. Then, he remembered his promises and thought about it some more.

A distant memory resurfaced, of murmuring voices and warm fireplaces, and the thought almost brought a smile to his lips. Yeah, he supposed that if this girl really was as rich as she made herself out to be she surely could help him out the way he needed someone to.

Making up his mind, Xenopus recited, "I don't want your purse, your money, nor those trinkets, but if you will love me and accept me as a companion and playmate, and let me sit next to you at your table and eat from your golden plate and drink from your cup and sleep in your bed, if you will promise this to me, then I'll go after these goons and bring back your golden phone."

She stared at him completely taken aback, jaw slack and eyes wide, and Xenopus couldn't possibly keep his straight face. His lips twitched, and the sneer wanted to turn into a genuine smile, but Xenopus didn't really know how to smile anymore without the help of some opiate or another.

"That's a scene from the fairy tale the Frog King, in case you didn't know that, princess," he admitted then, struggling to keep his expression under control. The girl just stared at him at that. He swallowed and continued, "But I'm only half joking. I really don't want your money, but I'd be incredibly grateful if I could stay at yours for some time. With the way you flaunt your wealth around I'm sure that there's enough room to accommodate one more person where all this comes from." He gestured towards the girl's general appearance, her clothes and bracelets.

"Oh." After a pause, she swallowed, obviously struggling to regain her composure. "Um..."