The Maid and Her Princess [On Hiatus]

Pleased to Finally Meet You (Fall final)

IX.

Rain poured.

Madoka heard it pounding but she did not feel it on her skin. She stirred then yawned and then stirred again, feeling the softness of the pillow beneath her head. Wait, Madoka sat up and cracked an eye open. Pillow?

Her foot felt a wooden stake and then bumped into a tough cloth. She was in a tent. Was she kidnapped? Or was she actually dead? It did not matter to Madoka since she has not slept decently in a long time. Those stupid voices were gone for now and Madoka preferred it that way. She wanted to lay back down but something interrupted her.

Distant thumping noises boomed somewhere, sending a shuddering wind through the tent. Madoka was naked. She sighed and shivered. At least that was a sign that Elise was somewhere nearby. Her body was full of burn scars and imperfections that surely would be an affront to anyone's eyes. Anyone besides Elise. Madoka could not imagine what Elise saw in her.

More screeches occurred as if they were in a jarring competition with the rain, then a lightning's flash crescendoed down into a coda of rain and silence. Madoka was awake now and she sat all the way up. A neatly folded maid uniform and a traveler's heavy garb with boots rested next to her. Kidnappers would definitely not leave those out for her, Madoka mused as she inspected each piece of clothing.

Another boom attacked the peacefulness of the rain. Madoka guessed the palace was still under siege from all the ruckus. She slipped on each article of clothing slowly and tentatively crawled to the exit of the tent. The wind pushed the walls in like a sail rocking in a storm. Through the gaps, Madoka could see the sky. It was grey and full of stormy clouds that pushed into each other like they were swirled by a wooden spoon. She sat back down with a sudden desire to not get out of the tent.

Suddenly, Elise popped through the tent's folds, startling Madoka.

"Ohayo!" She cheered. "Woman of my dreams!"

"E-Elise!" Madoka fell back. The folds of the tent hid most of Elise's face, but the princess smirked at her successful surprise attack.

"You truly are beautiful," she said. "Now c'mon out! C'mon!"

With that, Elise withdrew out of the tent and Madoka was alone again. Outside of that tent was her worst nightmare, truly. The outdoors and beyond. She remembered Elise's words: The world was only going to get bigger. Madoka pouted. She hated all of this change. However, she hated thinking and dwelling on things the most. With a scoff, she pushed herself out of the tent. The day will be wasted if she does not clean up something. Whether her act or a hallway need some cleaning — either will do.

Ash and rain clogged Madoka's nose as she crawled out onto wet grass. The sight of a campfire's remains sizzled in ashes before her and beyond that stood the princess. She was looking out at something. Her long hair was rain-slick and tussled, but Madoka became distracted by the burning Palace in the far distance. Flames and shattered buildings were seemingly all that remained in that desolate place, Madoka could see the wreckage in full detail even far away. She remained silent but Elise knew she was there. Just what was she thinking? What were her plans from now on?

"No more," Elise said solemnly. She did not turn to face Madoka, but instead her magic ring formed around her heart as the wind beat on her cloak. "No longer am I a princess."

She was going to pull something out of the talisman's portal. Steel flashed in her hand as she raised it upward. It was a knife! Madoka feared the worst and was about to cry out for Elise to stop whatever she was going to do. It was too late. Instead, the blade found its mark: The princess's hair. She turned to face her with strands of her blonde hair scattering in the wind like butterfly swarms migrating among a storm.