Princess Without a Crown

Kagura was happily jumping around the town stopping at every store with something sweet on its shelves. She seemed to be very excited about the visit to the town, completely forgetting one of the reasons they were even there was to get her wound from last night properly cleaned and patched up.

Just like many other moments that day, she grabbed Hayabusa by hand and pulled him to the shop window. On the other side weren't dresses or shoes as you'd imagene it, there were many cakes, chocolates and other sweets.

"Why don't we ever have those at home??" She asked, her mouth suddenly feeling watery. "I don't even remember last time I ate chocolate..." She wasn't saying that trying to make her poor guardian buy her some chocolate or anything... Pff, no! She would never do something like that.

Hayabusa chuckled a little. He saw through her little attempt but he did like the idea. "You know what, after we're done at the palace, we might as well come here and have some, what do you say? Just you and me?" He asked placing an arm around her back and pulling her closer, against his chest.

Her face was quickly lit up by the idea and it burned even more after the sudden move he took. Her blue eyes were clear as the ocean at that beautiful sunny day

Sadly, their moment was interupted by Alucard who cleared his throath before saying: "I'm sorry but can this wait for when we get to the palace? Please. I'm in a bit of hurry and this is not really what I'm looking forwards to wasting time for.

"Fine, fine..." Hayabusa started. "We were making a deal for later anyway..." He muttered letting Kagura go. It was visible from the plane that the ninja and the demon hunter didn't always share the same oppinion but they weren't fighting either.

The girl didn't really seem to be happy after he let her go but she didn't complain. She simply said: "Then let's hurry up and reach that palace as soon as possible." She did her best not to stop at every shop window and look at the colorful products.

After quite a bit of walking and experiencing the traffic of a normal day in elf metropolis, they finally reached the upper ring where all the rich people lived and with that, they reached the palace too.

It was interesting to see how much the clothes people wear change from lower rings all the way to royality. From simple wool vests to silky long dresses and ivory jewellery aroung their necks. They were excited to see how royality looked, well at least Kagura. She had never seen a royal face to face.

They nood stood before large marble doors with bluish emblems integrated in them. They were shining brightily on the sunshine but when exposed to moonlight, it looked even more spectacular. It was the Celestial palace after all, where lived the king of moon elves with his daughter.

The doors soon opened as a girl was standing in on the other side of them. She looked very pale but by any means not sick. She had slightly pink cheeks and long silver hair. It was tied in a ponytail decorated with a dark blue flower. Her eyes were light blue and only one was visible thanks to her messy hair that covered half of her face.

Her outfit was nothing like that of other women who were wearing fancy long dresses, this girl had shorts and crop top, all blue with few silver stripes conecting her shorts and top over her belly. She was also wearing boots that looked more like something for jogging than something to wear for special occassions. Judging by her look she was a maid or perhaps a warrior in training. Nevertheless, at least Alucard thought she was pretty.

The demon hunter greeted her. "Hello there. My name is Alucard and I have an artifact for king Estes. I'd really appriciate if you could tell him that--"

He was eventually just interrupted by the girl. "Oh, sure. My father is upstairs, he was expecting you." She said with a small smile. "Come in."

All three were surprised by the girl who claimed she was the princess but really didn't look like one. She even opened the doors for them, what princess in the world would be doing that?
When Kagura was a child, she would never do that, it would usually be Hayabusa's task.

The girl then spoke again. "Oh, let me introduce myself, my name is Miya. Please elide the word 'princess', I really hate hearing people call me like that. Instead just use my name, thank you." She said in a fairly serious tone. "Now follow me, please." She said and walked back inside of the giant white building with many slightly bluish windows and blue roofs.

All three were amazed by the interior. It was a little dark but the atmosphere remimded them of a night with full moon. The light that was entering through windows looked like moonglow.

They climbed up long spiral staircase before finally reaching next floor. There, the lighting was better thanks to several clear windows and a big crystal lustre in the middle od the main room.

"Father! They're here!" Miya shouted signaling her father to come out of the library mostly because she wasn't going to look for him around the castle.

She then nervously smiled at the three saying: "Well, you can sit down here while you're waiting." She tried to act friendly but truly she just wanted to get away. She didn't feel comfortable in a situation where she had nothing smart to talk about, she just wanted to retreat back into her room and keep reading, away from other people.

There was a small table surrounded with big fluffy armchairs, light blue like everything else in the palace. The demon hunter sat down and placed the old codex on the table. His blue coat was really leaving impression like if he was from there even if he had no connections with the place.

Kagura and Hayabusa also found themselves someplace to sit and just then a tall man entered the room. "Hello, my friends." He said calmly.

The conection between him and Miya could be easily drawn since they both had extremly pale skin and white long hair. The difference was that he was wearing something that could easily pass as a king's robe with several golden lines and a moon symbol on dark blue fabric.

Alucard instinctively stood up greeting the king. "Hello, your majesty." He said bowing slightly.

"Oh, please. Call me Estes. Being king isn't for making people worship you, it is to serve them and help the best way you can. Now, sit down, my friend, you came here with a reason, am I right?"

Everybody in the room was slightly taken off guard by the king's words. He just smiled and sat down looking at the Codex that was brought to them by the demon hunter. If they only knew what has he passed through to get that, they'd double the price.

"Here is the book I've promised to bring." He said rising the old book. Its covers were made out of red leather with black and white markings on it, there was no question, it was the real one.

The king of moon elves took out a pouch filled with gold and handed it to the man. "Thank you. I've wanted to have this book for a very long time." He smiled.

Alucard now saw his chance. "Hey... What is so special about this book? I mean, I've almost got killed for it." He started.

Miya was the one who joined their conversation and explained the situation. "That book contains some of the most powerful magic in the world. It is a mana source that can't be emptied and helps you cast spells easier and more powerfull." She said. "My father is a very powerful spellcaster but he could use additional boost."

Estes tried to remain humble. "She is exagerating a little... I just want my healing to improve so I can save more people... But wait... Have you said that you were almost killed for the book? Are you hurt?" He asked.

Hayabusa then decided to mention who was really wounded there. "Well actually... We have jumped in soon enough so he didn't get hurt but there is somebody who did..." He said motioning to the young yet powerful mage sitting in an armchair next to him.

She just gazed at him and said: "B-but it's nothing... Really..." She seemed to be a little shy in front of him.

"Hey... We all agreed we'd come here and find somebody to patch you up better..." The ninja who now looked like a perfectly normal man said, he was worried about his girl and he didn't want to watch her injured even if she said it doesn't hurt any more. "If you're a healer, I'd highly appriciate you checking on her..." He said in a worried tone.

Miya felt like teasing a little so she grinned and asked: "Are you her private guardian so you take such a good care of her?" She crossed arms leaning on the wall, not because they have filled up all chairs but because she just wanted to stand aside.

Hayabusa glared at her: "What if I am?" He asked. "Maybe I was hired by her family to take care of her." He said getting slightly annoyed by this princess without a crown.

She crossed arms. She was slightly emberrased. "Oh... Really? I-- I guess she didn't look like somebody who was that important..." She said.

"Miya!" Her father rose his voice. "Show some respect to our guests." He said, not really happy with his daughter's behaviour. "I'm sorry for her... She is just passing that teenage phase..." He said. "And it's still a lot better than some other people of her age..."

Alucard laughed a little. "It's okay with me. I like seeing fightful girls." He winked at her quickly, not really caring if her father was there to see it.

Before things escalated, Estes gazed at Kagura and said: "Come here honey, let me take a look at that wound..." He started. The girl just followed him into a room with a small pool. The little light that could get in the room through small windows was captured by crystals that were in the middle of the small pool and reflected several times brighter and stronger.

Before he closed the doors, he said: "Miya, would you please show our guests rooms where they can stay for the timebeing?" After that, Hayabusa and Alucard just exchanged glances before gazing at Estes. "Wait... Rooms?" They asked in the same time.

"Yes, rooms. Were you really planning on going away the same day after such a long journey? I can't let that happen. I'll be glad to let you stay here for next few days." He said before closing the doors and leaving the two boys with his daughter. Was that a smart move?