Spirit Animals - The Assassins Throne

Chapter Five | Song |

Princess Song glowered at herself in the mirror. She had stripped her face of the layers of makeup she had worn that day and was now waiting for her handmaiden to come and help her remove the rest of her frivolous accessories. Song had always known she was pretty even under all the makeup, which was only there as more of a formality for the princess than a necessity. Even now as she looked at herself she could make out her dainty features, the slight slope of her nose, her perfectly set doe like eyes. The curvature of her lips, the image practically haunted her. She was a perfect glass doll, just as her father had told her, and no matter how hard she tried to deny it she could never ignore the pretty face staring back at her.

Song called out her spirit animal Ning from her passive form. Ning was a beautiful red crowned crane that Song had summoned at her nectar ceremony when she was eleven, she was the only friend Song did not have to act all diplomatic around.

"Aiko is late today, I wonder what could be holding her up." Ning didn't seem to regard Song's words too much. She only made a gesture that seemed to indicate she did not know where Song's personal handmaiden was. Aiko had been apart of the palace staff for fifteen years and served as Song's handmaiden for five. Out of those five years Aiko had never been late for Song's nightly procedures. The girls hold up was starting to worry Song, she hoped that she was alright.

Just then Song felt a great deal of uneasiness coming from behind her, emanating from Ning. Ning gave Song a worried glance and started to pace around the room. Song found Ning's actions to be off putting, Ning had never acted like this before. Then a knock on the door gave both human and animal a startled jump.

"Your Highness, may I come in?" Song calmed at the sound of her handmaiden's voice, Ning however only seemed to be riled even more. Before Ning could protest, Song quickly called her back into passive state. Most thought it rather informal when Song kept Ning out, especially when it was just her and another person in the room.

"Yes, you may enter." Shortly after her words, Song heard the doorknob turn and open to who she assumed was Aiko. To Songs surprise, it was not Aiko that appeared in the doorway but another handmaiden, one she hadn't seen before.

"Where's Aiko?" Song questioned the strange girl that had stepped into her room.

"Aiko has fallen ill. I'll be helping you tonight your highness." The girl replied. Song gazed skeptically at the foreign girl that stood before her. She was too dark to be from this region of Zhong but nonetheless, she still spoke the language.

She must have come from the middle eastern part of Zhong. Song concluded in her head. Along with her dark complexion the girl had jet black hair that had been pulled back into a braid and swayed against the back of her handmaiden uniform.

"Would you like me to help you with your hair?" The girl asked shyly. Song had finally realized she had been staring at the girl for a while now, almost forgetting what she had come here to do.

"Yes, yes you may," Song said, regaining focus as the girl started to unclip and undo her long black hair from her elaborate updo. As the girl ran a brush through the princesses fine silky hair, Song started to question the strange newcomer that had oddly intrigued her.

"I don't believe I've seen you around before, are you new?" Song felt the brush come to a stop for a brief second as the girl contemplated her reply.

"Fairly," the girl had spoken quickly and directly. She seemed to almost fear messing up in front of the princess, something attributed to her bashful and shy nature no doubt. Nonetheless, Song was not done with her little interrogation.

"We don't get many people from outside this region of Zhong. Where are you from?" Again, Song felt the brush stiffen briefly before starting down her sleek locks once more.