TheAnoraknophobe

Rose, Princess of the Realm, hummed cheerfully to herself as she soaked in the day's delights. Oh, it was good to be back! Good to simply relax and enjoy herself, free of the burden of rank, free to be just another girl for just one afternoon. On reflection, it might have been more responsible to tell Daddy what she was up to, but he would have insisted on bodyguards and far too much fuss. No, as far as he was concerned, she was in her suite, behaving herself. What he didn't know wouldn't hurt him~ Giggling, she slowed a little to watch the people go by. Couples walked arm-in-arm, children laughed and shrieked, festively clad girls lured bl

Courtney sighed melodramatically. Peach Blossom Academy, that most prestigious of schools, alma mater of the most admired women in the nation, had opened its gates for its annual cultural festival. Tickets were more valuable than gold, the attractions were nothing short of legendary, and with its signature trees in full flower, the very campus was as lovely as any of the students. And she, the club's junior, was stuck at this stupid crepe booth. Wait, crud, someone was talking to her. A customer! The teenage blonde forced herself to adopt a perky manner. "I'm so sorry, miss, could you repeat that?" The customer cocked her head. She was dr

The leaves were only just beginning to turn. The summer sun still had some fight in it. The sky was blue, blue like her eyes. He will remember it perfectly. He was walking in the park, down the same brick paths that he had walked a dozen dozen times since childhood. For all the beauty of the day, his thoughts were melancholy. His spirits would not be restored. It doesn't matter how bright the sunlight is when your mind makes the world grey. Then he lifted his eyes, and there she was. The pink satin of her formal gown was bright. She moved with such grace that she seemed almost to float as she went on her way. The jewels in her tiara glint

She doesn't jump or gasp. The empress merely turns her head as you reveal yourself, deigning to look you up and down. Under other circumstances, you'd be embarrassed about the state of your clothes. Alien as it is, her beauty is undeniable. Wings furled, both sets of arms folded, she seems relaxed and insouciant. But she can undoubtedly summon aid with the press of a well-concealed panic button, and that would doom you both. "And who, exactly," she inquires in a tone that suggests more amusement than concern, "might you be?" With a gesture and a mild grimace, you indicate that you are simply reaching into your jacket. She nods, and you rel

"You're asking if I'm afraid?" The wind turns colder. Clouds cross the face of the sun. As she considers your question, her mien turns solemn. Around you, her boon companion, she can let the mask drop and speak freely. It's a trust that fills you head to toe with pride. "Our land is in danger, it's true. The army of Nightfall is resurgent. Their cults work wickedness among us, their twisted warbeasts grow in the shadowy places," she lifts her dipped head to look you in the eyes, stern and sincere, "and the rumours that a new Black Emperor has been crowned? Keep this secret - it's true." You suspected much, but not that. Has it been so long