The Maid and Her Princess [On Hiatus]

Tomorrow is Never Coming (Fall 5)

V.

"What would you like to do if you, no, we made it out of here?" Elise asked. Madoka decided it was best to not worry her princess by not reporting she heard the voices last night.

The two remained in the study for the following days. She only brought a lot of food and tea up to the princess. Otherwise, she cleaned the nooks and crannies of the room. Right now, she was balancing on a wooden stool reaching for a tough spot above the shelves. She could do it without thinking, thanks to her speed training atop the jagged rocks Leopride conjured for her ages ago.

She missed those days. The scar on her palm comforted her during these nights.

"I would like us to," Madoka paused in thought about it. Such an option did not occur to her. So she asked the question back to her. "What would you like us to do?"

"I would very much still like to continue the Elise and Madoka adventures."

"I-I," Madoka stammered. She did not want to do such things in labyrinths or altars.

"If only I were more powerful in magic, Madoka," Elise sighed. "My magic core has made some improvement since that god spoke to me. Still, ah, working on the kinks."

"That god, right," Madoka still felt the chill from its voice the first time she heard it. She hopped off the stool and landed gracefully. "Has it spoken to you or anything since?"

"No," Elise murmured. "I don't really know why, but I can't fathom it being a god. I know, I know. It's just like my brain and beliefs don't match. How are you so religious, Madoka?"

"The kind gods have..." Madoka was about to say they allowed her to meet Elise but she stayed silent. "I've been raised here under their peaceful eyes. How could I not believe in them?"

"They made you a slave," Elise snapped. Then she went back to being gloomy. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"I wish to serve you," Madoka simply said. She was a simple maid, after all. The kind gods prepared this life for her. Although the doubts crept in her mind, she still chose to believe that god was really there in those ruins. Elise cleared her throat and switched subjects.

"I wish that god could help me out again. But it didn't, so, I've tried everything I could think of to cultivate mana," Elise said, holding up her hands and made a circle with her fingers. A small translucent bubble floated from the inner shape of the circle and popped. "And all I can do is some small wind and water tricks. I don't think it's the same thing as all those light novels I read... tch!"

"Those Wind swords were impressive," Madoka offered. Elise sighed and wiped the water off her hands on Madoka's cloth.

"Wind swords? That makes them sound cool. They're not enough," Elise looked back to her book. "Perhaps later, I'll figure it out."

"I wish the best for you," Madoka bowed. She prayed that Elise would succeed. The room was spotless. She still felt that the dark mana the princess spoke of still lingered but at least it was clean.

"Then I can be strong enough to support you on adventures. Wherever we go," the princess said with a serious tone. "They're going to be having another go at my curse soon, Madoka."

Madoka's own feelings tensed at the meaning beneath her words. They were going to try their best to get rid of her.

"And I," Elise wiped her eyes. She was crying! Madoka immediately rushed to her and comforted her as she always did. "I don't have anything. No plans. I-I'm... scared!"

"I believe in you," Madoka soothed her. The princess buried her face in the maid's shoulder. "We've come this far."

The princess focused her eyes after Madoka wiped the tears off her face. "I will try my best to formulate a plan," the princess said, showing the radiant ring of magic. Madoka realized it was flowing around her heart. Has it always done that before? "I know I am making progress with this. I just am afraid it's not enough and that I will fail you."

"I trust you," Madoka said softly, but with all her heart. She could not leave the princess after their time in the North Estate.

"I lov- I trust you, Madoka. More than you know. Your strength, I...." the princess sobbed. Madoka simply pat her head. "I'll do anything to make this pass."

"Now, now," Madoka soothed her princess, like the old days. "We must move forward for tomorrow."

"For all our tomorrows," Elise pulled away from Madoka. "Go for now. I must... I have to figure this out. They will suspect you if you are here with me."

"But Your Highness," Madoka protested. A simple look was all she needed. Madoka bowed and departed from the room quietly. She trusted her friend.

Days later, Madoka saw the princess less. She stayed sequestered in her study, refusing to let anyone in. Madoka felt lost. She was unable to do anything and she was requested by the Head Maid again. The voices were getting worse without Elise and the only thing that calmed her down were her servant duties.

Madoka noticed more nobles came and went with their fancy clothes. Before she hid away, Elise said they were smart and powerful men apart of a thing called a noble hegemony. They were aiming to break the ailing king's reign. Madoka did not understand as usual, but realized that ailing meant the king was growing weaker. She wondered if that's how her princess's prophecies predicted.

Madoka worked until she was exhausted and found herself in bed late.

Death.
Red.
String.
Roots.
Death.

Madoka had enough of these stupid voices. She was tired of her restless nights and beating her head against a sweaty pillow. The wind knocked against the tiny window in her servant's quarters next to the princess. Suddenly, an even louder knock struck the window. Madoka jerked up, wide awake as the voices faded away. The night was cool and calm with moonbeams on clear display in the sky. Madoka, however, was the opposite.

She tore her dress up and had claw marks on her skin from clutching herself and her head. L-Let this endless night pass, Madoka struggled as she sat helplessly on her bed. She could not even pray or utter noise out her mouth. She motioned to scream, but silently flailed and wailed in her anguish.

Another knock. This time, Madoka stopped her tantrums and stared at its source. A glowing, white bird sat next to the window looking directly at her. What was this bird? Madoka thought. It looked like a ghost with a disturbingly human face with a beak instead of a nose. Madoka shook her head. Was this her sinking into the depths of madness from sleep deprivation?

The bird remained. It flapped its odd feathers as it sat. Strange, flesh like pink tentacles revealed themselves to be writhing beneath the folds of its wings. Madoka concluded she was going insane and decided the bird was enough. Still it sat there at the corner of her eyes.

Its thoughts were quiet, but so were Madoka's. Even the whispers vanished entirely. It truly made her feel at peace, despite its oddly grotesque appearance. Madoka closed her eyes in a blink at the bird and silently thanked it for the temporary reprieve. The bird kept its gaze with its mystical glow and had Madoka's attention spellbound. The illuminated creature cocked its head suddenly.

DO NOT GO OUTSIDE.

A loud thought struck her but with more clarity and strength than those whispers. Commotion broke out in the princess's room. Elise! Madoka struggled to get out of her bed and instead tumbled to the carpet. The princess was screaming something about a lawyer as people were dragging her away. Madoka did not know what her words meant but she was being taken away from her.

"INNOCENT TIL PROVEN GUILTY," She thundered. "You stupid pigs didn't even read me my rights!"

More movement thumped outside as Madoka feebly crawled to the door. She could not get up. The shining bird out her window was watching the maid intently. She had to help her princess.

Tomorrow?
Tomorrow!
Tomorrow.
For tomorrow!
Don't go outside!

Madoka ignored it and reached for the handle. But it would not budge. After several attempts at twisting the door, her hand felt numb as exhaustion covered her vision. The princess's screams drew further than her ears could allow.

"Please," Madoka mouthed to the bird. Its thoughts remained quiet as it stared back at her. It tilted its head at her request. As Madoka slumped and slipped into her sleep against the door, the bird flew away out of her vision.

Madoka wept as she fell asleep.