Another Princess

The Trickster

The first time I saw him, I thought he was up to no good.  Or maybe his strange clothes and unnerving smirk just made me think that.

"Good evening, miss," he said to me.  "Is there a reason you're up so late?"

I'd like to think that I was still less naive back then, and more stubborn.  "Why ask me?" I replied.  "I have work to do."

"Work spinning nightmares, you mean?" I froze.  "I've heard of you, 'Dream Princess'.  I wanted to stop by to...check out the competition."

"Competition?  What do you mean?" I asked.

"You see, I deal with dreams and nightmares too.  Only I can't change nightmares into good dreams.  That seems to be a talent only you have.  Only...how strange.  I don't see you spinning."

It was my sister who loved fairy tales, not me.  But I'd read Rumpelstiltskin and the Pied Piper.  I knew a trickster when I saw one, only I had a feeling this one wasn't after children.

Before I could shoo him away, he came into my room.  He looked around curiously.  Did he know something wasn't right?  

I tried to get rid of him, but he pulled out my box of nightmares.  He put his (oddly pointed) ear to it.  "Oh no...."  

I started to panic when he said that.  "What's wrong?"  Because strong as I was, I was still scared of the nightmares I hoarded.

"I don't mean to scare you, but...you've been keeping this a secret for a while, haven't you?" 

I was shocked.  "How do you know that?"

He smirked at me again.  "I'm a baku, miss, I know a nightmare when I find one.  And these...oh, dear.  These are terrible."  He looked at me with pity.  "If they're left alone like this, they might merge together, or..." he looked like something in between scared and excited.  "They might even come to life."

When I heard about the possibility the nightmares I collected would come to life, I admit I was terrified.  I began to protest "Please, please!  I never wanted this...I just wanted to use my talents...I didn't know..."

I'm almost ashamed to say that I did in fact break down and tell him the truth.  Could you blame me, though?  I hadn't even told my own sister about my lies.  

Believe it or not, he seemed to understand.  "You've gone so long without dreaming, then...that sounds awful."

It was.  It was awful.

Then he turned to me mysteriously and said "Now...what would you do if I told you there was a way to get rid of those nightmares...and be able to dream again?"