Ningyō no Ohimesama (The Doll Princess)

Pink Shackles

{MIHO'S POV}
"It keeps my... hair from dragging... which is a plus...but it... takes too long... to style. I... don't always have... that kind of time." I tell Asahi.

She groans. "I want to make you look pretty, but everything that looks remotely nice is complex and inefficient! You simply have too much hair. Why don't I cut some of it off? It'll still be long, but—"

"No!" An icy stab of panic shoots through me like an arrow. I jerk away from Asahi, clutching at my chest, where my heart races painfully fast.

"Such a shame."

"Disappointment."

"It won't be like it was with Shiro-sama and Akegi-sama, huh?"

"You should be happy. You aren't smart but at least you're pretty."

I thrash on the ground, trying to get the ghostly voices to leave me alone. My eyes water. My throat constricts and I can't breathe.

It's like drowning. A weight is tied to my head and causing me to sink deeper into the suffering river.

My hair is heavy. Physically, since it's so long and thick, as well as emotionally. It is a tether to the past but also my anchor. My one constant in life has always been my long strawberry pink hair.

If I don't have my anchor, what else do I have? I'll simply drift off and get lost in the ocean. So when I was a child, I decided that I'll never cut my hair.

It was all they ever saw—my only redeeming feature, the only thing that made me worth looking at.

If I don't have my strawberry pink hair, will I simply disappear? Fade away into the background, no longer anything in the eyes of others?

No, that's wrong now. I've changed. I'm needed. Aoi-kun is counting on me.

I really thought I had let go; I freed myself from my past trauma because I allowed myself to care again. I'm beginning to like my hair again. So why does my past continue to torment me? How can I rid myself of these ghosts that haunt me?

I can't cut this heavy past of mine away so simply. Not until I can look those ghosts in the face, then tell them to shut the hell up and go away.

"Miho!" Aoi-kun's voice pierces my conscious. It's the only thing that can.

I wake up from the nightmare. It's dark, and in the faint moonlight I see the concern shimmering in Aoi-kun's red eyes. I cling to him like a lifeline, gasping and sobbing. He pulls me into his lap.

"No cutting." I beg. "No... cutting... Aoi-kun."

"No cutting." Aoi-kun agrees firmly, tightening his hold on me. I finally begin to settle down.

I hang my head miserably. I'm so pathetic.

"I thought you might be having a seizure." I hear the confusion and concern in Aoi-kun's voice. "What's—" he studies my face, "—never mind. I won't pry. But I'm here for you, okay?"

"Aoi-kun deserves... to know." I pant. I don't want to keep it bottled up anymore.

I let the whole story flow out. Aoi-kun knew about some of the bullying I experienced when my family's backs were turned, but not everything. I tell him everything now. It feels good to get it off my chest.

Aoi-kun never removes me from his lap, and I don't mind. His presence is comforting.

"I'm a jerk." Aoi-kun laments. "I thought my past was bad, but Father pampered me after Mother died. It was only until Kenji returned that my life changed. You suffered alone this whole time, and I couldn't—I didn't—I should've—I'm so stupid!"

He's so wrong, I don't even have enough words in the language to refute.

"It's not... Aoi-kun's fault." I tell him. "As we get... closer to the final... battle, I've got this... feeling... I'm gonna have... to make a choice soon... I know it."

He touches his forehead to mine. "Don't say final. Final makes it sound like you're going to die. You're not. I won't allow it. Never."

I giggle, all the panic from earlier dispersing as quickly as smoke in the wind. "I'll be counting... on you then, my... shield."

"And I you, my sword."

An alarm sounds. The night guardsmen have spotted more enemies.

No words need to be spoken. I grab my rapier. Aoi-kun straps his daggers to his waist. We run out of the command tent, side by side.

Kenji's bastards picked a fortuitous time to attack. I have some steam that needs blown off.

The guardsmen have already engaged the sneak attackers by the time we arrive. Some knights have joined as well, wearing a strange combination of pajamas and armor.

Aoi-kun and I charge into the fray. Our allies bellow our names in welcome when they see us, and the boost in morale from our presence allows the sleepy warriors to fight with renewed vigor.

I unsheathe my rapier and promptly impale the nearest enemy I can find. The knight he was winning against gives me a grateful look before running off to help our comrades, who let out a cheer.

Some of our enemies back away, fear in their eyes. "That hair! It's the West's Grim Reaper!"

"Leave her to me!" I feel murderous aura behind me.

I spin to face a person dressed all in black with their face covered, broadsword raised above their head. Poised for the kill. "For the glory of the emperor!"

If I parry, that monstrous hunk of metal will crush my long, thin blade easily. Like me, my sword is built for speed and is awful at defense.

I'm not worried though. Because I'm not alone.

The masked person never gets a chance to finish their swing, because a red-eyed blur slices their throat before they can blink.

Aoi-kun and I stand back to back, and I feel at home. Fighting by his side, this is where I belong. Many long minutes later, all of the enemies have either been eliminated or ceased fighting.

The following interrogation brings to light that the people who surrendered were citizens from Citadel who got forcibly drafted into the war effort. Most would rather follow Aoi-kun. However, they couldn't escape because the capital is locked down.

"Leaving without permit is considered treason. It's subject to public execution, by either beheading or hanging, depending on how Kenji-heika—"

"Just Kenji." Aoi-kun interrupts.

I don't miss it when Asahi (who showed up after the fighting was over to help take care of the wounded) rolls her eyes.

The surrenderer corrects himself. "—on how Kenji feels on any given day. He may not be physically strong, but his followers are, and Kenji-hei—ahem, is ruthless with punishments. He has bought the loyalty of many foul people as well."

"Freed from jail and allowed to do whatever they want so long as Kenji keeps the crown. We know." Aoi-kun clenches his fists angrily.

The man winces, then bows. "On behalf of all of us here, who have families in the capital that would be executed if we are seen on your side, please let us go! My name is Itachi. I swear upon it that I will not raise my sword against Aoi-sama!"

Aoi-kun considers this for a moment. "Leave."

Itachi and his followers scurry off like rats. We watch them go without a word.

Finally, General Hajime looks to the east, where the sky is lighter. "The sun is rising. It's time to get a move on. Everyone, pack your gear."

"Yes!" The knights salute to Hajime, then to Aoi-kun and me, before returning to their tents. Some yawn as adrenaline from the eventful night fades.