The young princess Masi looks upon her mentor Juniper May wide eyed and full of curiosity, prepared and ready for the lesson and lecture she is about to receive. Juniper May approaches a large table, glowing a brilliant blue radiance, upon the table was a cache of crystals. She reaches her hand in and pulls out a crystal, shining bright white with tiny voices speaking in a whisper within the geometric prism, speaking in a language that cannot be deciphered by a mere elf.
“A century and a decade ago, there was a massive war that plagued the land; a war that your father, His father, and his father before have fought in.” She says placing the crystal in the bottle, turning the cap tight.
“This war cost the kingdom countless lives, and resources. So to help prevent the further loss of life, your mother has created these life crystals.” Juniper May says proudly.
“So, the guardians are real?” Masi asks with wonder in her eyes, and a slight fear in her voice, trembling at the thought of rumors being real. The child looks at the shelf of toys in the apothecary, wondering if these toys are the same ones that will protect her and her friends, instead of the knights of the Crystal Palace.
“Yes my little hazelnut, these toys are the future of the kingdom, and come the jubilee, your guardian will be assigned to you, we planned to bestow it to you earlier, but your father insists at the jubilee, but he has always been the flamboyant showy type, I’m afraid.” Juniper May sighs and rubs her forehead in annoyance.
“But why toys, why not have a trained maiden be my guardian, like in the olden times?” Asked the young Masi. “Surely, they would be more effective, then a doll or automaton.” She continues confused at the whole idea.
“And that’s the thing Masi!” She smiles wholehearted, putting two fingers in her mouth and whistling, then a small toy ballerina, dressed in scarlet material, her shoes a nice rosy pink complimenting her dress. Her face a white porcelain, made from thread woven by Juniper May herself.
“This is the first to receive the life crystal, her name Lady Katina swan. She runs special op missions for the Tottenham Royal Guard, and the Aston Villa Lion Army.” Juniper says happily picking up the 30-centimeter doll.
“You see dear, an enemy would always suspect you to have Aluma or a knight by your side, in your day to day life, but when you have a guardian in the form of a toy, then their guard will be substantially lowered.” Katina speaks to Masi, the doll's dark brown eyes looking right at the young princess. Masi jumps back in shock.
“The toy just spoke!” Masi says in utter shock but looks at her smiling. “She just spoke to me.” Masi says pick up the toy.
“Good you can understand me, not many of the soldiers can, but the royals can, and you can as well so that’s a major plus!” The ballerina says giggling, as she grips Masi’s hand lightly before Masi lets go, yelping out in shock and pain.
“She squeezed my hand like my father!” Masi says holding her hand close, and the toy lands on her feet in delicate fashion, brushing out the wrinkles in her dress.
“See what I tell you Masi, the toys possess the physical strength of your father, but hold the vast magical knowledge instilled by your mother via the crystal, they each possess different magical abilities, but they can learn from their peers as well, they are to grow and learn with you, until you pass them down to your child, then your children’s children. The guardians are made to last till time indefinite given they are well maintained and cared for.” Juniper May explains to the princess who is seen listening intensively.
“Now for Katina, she is known by the knights as the silent widow maker, because…” as Juniper May speaks, the ballerina seems to vanish in thin air.
“She possesses the ability to camouflage into the environment flawlessly, and uses stealth magic to her advantage, she can silence her footsteps, and utilize her specially made weapon.” Juniper May continues to explain the inner workers of the ballerina, and the toy lifts her skirt showing myriads of steel needles made for the small dolls size, laced with poison from a desert toad, that can kill a man in the time it takes him to smoke a cheap cigarette. Hence her name, the silent widow maker.
“Remember the Sultan of Damascus, the one who ruled the city state with an iron fist, the one who enabled the laws of Hammurabi?” The doll asks the young Xilric princess.
“Um..Yes..I believe my father was quite pleased to hear of his death.” The young girl says thinking, placing a hand on her chin and the other upon her elbow.
“Wait, were you the one who…” The child asks putting two and two together, and the toy tilts her head smiling happily.
“Dearie me, Juniper May was quite right about you, your highness, yes it was me who killed that poor bastard.” She says walking toward another wooden door. “He picked me up from the market thinking I was going to be a play thing, for his concubines, and when he went to sleep in his tent, I planted 200 of my needles down the length of his jugular.” She says proudly. “I would have typically planted them in his pride, but I was told a quick in and out mission, so I blended in with the eastern sand, and vanished into the night.” The doll says finishing her story but seeming to be skipping over some details.
“Each of us guardians are not the same. Some can fully mobilize their digits and limbs, while some do not possess the dexterity that I have for example.” She says glaring at a limp teddy bear in the corner, sitting with other toys that seem to be in a coma like state. “And each guardian is activated by the mindset and magical ability of the child, so no two guardians are alike in personality, movement or even in power, and each guardian can counter a guardian, so it also provides checks and balances.” Katina continues to explain before jumping up on the counter and putting her hands on her hips.
“Now until the jubilee starts, which is in a few weeks, I will be tending to your wellbeing, so respect me and treat me well. We guardians may not need to eat or do what you flesh sacks do, but I for one still have my sense of smell, so every morning before you go to study hall, you need to go to old lady Elma’s bakery, and let me smell her fresh baked triple ginger cookies, understand!” The doll demands pointing a finger at the princess, puffing her cheeks slightly.
The princess laughs, seeing that the doll is not much more of a brat then she is.
“Alright then Katina, you have a deal, before class tomorrow we shall go to the bakery it is.” She says shaking the small arm of the doll. The feeling of the doll comes to a shock to Masi, first she was expecting it to be cold, but the doll feels rather warm, and fleshy, as if she was touching a real person.
The doll walks through a door on the shelf, and flicks the switch on the other side opening a large gymnasium, where other toys can be seen training with the royal guards, and teaching Nobel children various topics in academics.
“I just need to debrief with Viscount and Gaia, then we shall be on our way to your quarters.” Katina relates to Masi. “I pray it is not the pigsty I hear it is.” The doll says with a bit of sternness in her voice, that made Masi stand still in attention.
While Masi walks into the training area, she looks back at the teddy bear and the bear turns its head slightly to her, before she turns and walks away, the door closing behind her.
* * *
The air smells thick of iron, a red haze covers the sky. The sound of battle, and blood curdling screams fill the infinity of empty silence. King Aimar looks around his surroundings, and sees his men fighting and dying Infront of him. The blonde-haired king dawns his armored helmet and charges west toward the Bournemouth army, the army of Khajiiti revenants. The King lets out a hearty yell, lunging his sword into the abdomen of a Khajiitian, his intestines spilling out upon the floor, and blood dripping from its maw, as an enemy tries to flank him from the left, he uses his shield and smashed the leopards face breaking its jaw, as its teeth goes flying from its mouth. Aimar retracts his sword and sheaths it. Using his dagger, Aimar slices his hands preparing a summoning spell, before a shadowy figure beheads him. The king's stump spurts blood, before the body is consumed by this femininely shaped shadow.
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“Gaia!” The king wakes up shouting from his sleep, his body drenched from the cold sweat that came from his dream. He rubs his brow in frustration before hopping out of bed and going to the balcony to catch some air. His curly hair blowing in the wind, as he overlooks the lights of the kingdom, he inhales deeply at the early morning air, a signal of the time by the smell of ginger floating out of the nearby bakery.
“Aimar, my sweet, is everything alright?” The Queen asks with sleep in her eyes sitting up in bed, as she adjusts her braids behind her ears. “Have you had another night terror?” She asks gently, but with caution aware of his currently mental state, giving him distance.
“Come to me my love.” Aimar says gently holding out his hand to her, smiling happily, grateful for her company.
The queen happily steps out with the king, her evening gown made of satin white material dances in the wind, her skin soft and supple, in her husband's hard callused hands. The queen smells of cinnamon and vanilla, her lotions scent pleasing to her husband’s nose.
“Perhaps we should get ready for the day.” The king says getting ready to head inside, his voice hurried as if trying to avoid something.
“Or perhaps we can go back to bed, and you can treat me like a wild gazelle in the south Hampton savannah.” The queen says seductively, her eyes filled with passion and heat for her husband, as she kisses his chest and cranes her neck kissing him gently. They both smile and fall upon the California king sized mattress. The passion was cut short by the screams of a frightened child, followed by the pitter patter of small feet running down the crystal hallway. Masi was crying and screaming running away from her interim guardian.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” The princess sobs, covering her head, protecting herself from the ballerina Katina. “I said I will clean my quarters, Katina!” The girl says pleading with her guardian, praying for the barrage of strikes to stop.
“I also said that I will tan you proper if your quarters are not up to standard!” The doll says rolled scroll in hand, in hot pursuit down the crystal hallway leading to the east wing.
After Katina debriefed with viscount, she walked to the royal quarters with Masi. Upon entry of the room, Katina’s face went from a warm smile to a face of neutral feeling, to that of pure disgust. The room was in a tragic state, looking like a shanty town.
“Masi, your underwear is on the floor, and you have Tupperware piling in a corner.” Katina says in horror looking around the chambers and, against her better judgment stepping into the room. “No, my dear, oh heavens no…are your parents aware of your living state?” The doll asks with legitimate concern.
The girl thinks for a moment, then shutters at the prospect of receiving counsel from her father, and sweating heavily thinking of her mother’s mindset toward the room's condition. Though tender and loving, Gaia has a venomous attitude, that only the devil himself can rival when provoked. She shakes her head, hoping to maybe strike a deal with her new caretaker and friend.
“Oh, so you want a deal?” The doll says looking up at the child. “Fine then.” She says climbing up on the tall dresser. “Have this room cleaned by the fifth hour past midnight, and I will not speak a word of this to your parents, fail to do so however, and I will tan you proper, and report this grave sin to your family. Do we have a deal?” The ballerina extends her fabric woven hand, and Masi shakes it, forming a pact between the two.
When the great crystal clock in the main hall struck 5 am, the doll awakened and found that the room had remained in the same state. Angered by the result, the doll takes a scroll rolling it tightly and begins to strike the child, which wakes her from her sleep, and she quickly runs down the hall in her Olympic blue nightgown, her sobs echoing down the once peaceful hallway.
“Bakery! The bakery is open!” Masi bargains with the doll. “Remember the triple ginger cookies?!” She says hoping that will please the dolls volcanic temperament. “Mother, please mother help!” The child pleads running to the king's royal chambers and climbing between the two parents. The doll stops at the door, halted by Aluma the head maiden. She adjusts her bangs with her bob hair cut, her hair stopping shoulders length.
“The king and queen are still disposed at the moment, since you're not the actual guardian of young mistress Masi, I am afraid you do not have access to enter these chambers.” She said in her quiet mouse like voice. Looking down at the ballerina, Katina sighs hands upon her hips.
“Then I shall wait for her to come out then!” replied the doll, glaring at the young maiden. The young maiden taking it as a challenge stepped toward the doll.
“Just because I am a maid it does not make it right for you to glare at me like that, as if I am insignificant to you, to me you are just a doll, whose magic is unstable.” She says her eyes glowing a deep scarlet. “Your shape is sloppy, and unrefined, you have no control over your magic, you act purely on emotion, I can see why Masi was assigned to you. Your level is no better than an average primary school child.” Aluma taunts the doll. Katina flares with anger, and then vanishes within the crystal walls in the hallway.
“Let us see if you can keep up then, fair maiden of Aston Villa!” says Katina with boiling anger in her cadence.
“Very well...” obliges the maid. She reaches into her blouse and pulls out several silver colored capsules, throwing them into the air, she folds her hands together interlocking her first middle and ring fingers, her thumbs over lapping and pinkies pointed downward, forming the dragon symbol.
“Expand!” The maid bellows, the capsules explode showing several small dragon toys. “Guardian summoning, 4 district dragons!” The maid says finishing the spell. The four dragons are 11 centimeters each, and each are colored according to their element. One red for fire, blue for water, green for earth, and white for wind.
The Queen senses the summoning magic by the door, and the king sighs.
“There goes Aluma again, she may be silent, but her temper knows no bounds, Gaia please take care of that, magic is not my strong suit.” Aimar says annoyed with his daughter and the situation outside. The queen steps out smiling but a dark energy fills the room, and Aluma, and the doll both stop in their tracks.
“Your highness…Queen Gaia!” Katina says frightened. “Apologies for disturbing you and the king.” She bows humbly.
“It is quite alright, Katina. Now can you please tell me, what is the first rule of the crystal palace?” The queen says quizzing both the toy and the maid.
“No magic outside the royal training grounds and education center..” The maid answers.
“Very good, so why was an expansion spell done Infront of my bedroom door?” Gaia asks again, still smiling, but with an icy gaze looking upon the two perpetrators. Both of them look at the floor, and the dragons vanish back into capsules and Aluma puts them away.
“Now then, Katina please take me to my child’s quarters, so that I may see the sin in which you speak of.” The queen says kindly, but with venom in her voice. The doll nods and they walk to the child’s room, and upon looking at the room, the queen opens her eyes wide open in horror.
“Masi?” The queen starts. Her voice firm, and neutral in tone, out of character for the normally warm and inviting queen, her magical pressure being felt throughout the palace. Aluma can see the queen's magic take the shape of a horrific monster, the white of the queen's eyes turning dark, and her eyes turning a honey golden yellow. Her braids floating in the air, flying in the energy being projected.
“Yes, mother...” the child says in fear never seeing her mother this upset. “I was going to clean but..” Magic runes written in the bantu language reading “The Anger of the Queen” appear on both sides of Gaia's mouth, then suddenly Masi goes still, unable to move. The same effect is casted upon the maids, nearby as well as Katina.
“Silence!” The queen says with violent intention. Masi suddenly loses the urge and ability to speak. “You will clean your room, and you will remain here till the evening sun arrives, and if it is not to my satisfaction, you will pay for the sin you have committed here! Am I getting through to you princess?” She says with a hiss, her voice distorted and cracks appearing in the crystals.
“Release!” A loud voice is heard and the queen's energy is counteracted, as Juniper May arrives down the hall. The more experienced Juniper May reels back in the angered queen, as Gaia begins to calm down, coming down with a massive migraine, reverting to her warm self.
“Mother…are you alright?” Masi asks, visibly shaken by the sudden change in character of her mother. The Queen nods holding her head in pain.
“Just remember what I said sweetheart, Katina, and Aluma will assist you in your endeavor.” The queen says walking and stumbling back to her room. Masi nods and begins to start cleaning with haste, with Katina and Aluma in tow. Juniper May begins the minor repairs to the crystals that have been damaged.
Afterward, Masi receives her lesson from Juniper May.
“Your mother...” Juniper May starts “Has ancient magic running through her veins.” She explains the events of earlier today. “Sometimes she can get lost in it, and begins to channel her mother, which is a blessing and curse because she mastered puppet magic at your age, but sometimes her emotions can hinder the character and shape of her personability of her soul.” May explains. She then smiles, hatching a plan, and they walk back to the apothecary.
“It is time for you to learn the shape of you as well, walk to the wall of toys, and the one that reacts to you, shall be your guardian Masi.” Juniper instructs. Masi nods and approaches the wall, passing by a squid plushie, and a knight action figure, stopping at the teddy bear, whose fur is a golden brown, with maple button eyes, and fur soft as sheep’s skin, stands a total of 30 centimeters, looks Masi dead in the eyes, and touches her cheeks making a spiritual and magical connection with the child.
“Seems like he likes you; to form a connection, say his name, it should be upon your soul, if the connection is true.” Masi explains.
“Brantford…” Masi says “Sir Brantford Teddy Gram!” Masi says happily as the bear bows in respect before the princess.
“May the best be with you Masi.” Katina says “He is a difficult one to tame.” She warns climbing up Juniper Mays shoulders. Masi smiles holding the teddy bear, her guardian.