The Maid and Her Princess

The Heartbroken Maiden (part 1)

I.

Madoka's stomach and heart rushed with the wind slapping her face. Either that or it was her hair, stinging her forehead and adding to the list of things she swore over as the descent fell over her. She was not sure why she was so agitated, but perhaps the stress had built up. She could not blame anyone, especially not the princess, even if Audrey was partially at fault for leaving to speak with that woman and disappearing on her at first. She had carried this burden alone for the past few days feeling like she could not take a few moments even to breathe. Now, going through this ordeal and surviving through has caused her brain to overheat. The steam from the ongoing strain between her ears had to go somewhere, so out her mouth it went in a stream of angry words that made no sense. This rant, carried uselessly in the thick foggy clouds' winds, was quickly interrupted by a familiar voice whispering in her head.

I am here.
Fly!

"Oh, so now you show up," Madoka flailed her arms exasperated and kicked her feet for an added vent of frustration.

If her legs were on the ground, she would pace back and forth to express her particular annoyed state at this time. The Crystal hummed again and she felt the jolting strands wrapping around her back. With the wings literally on her back, she could swoop faster and search for the fallen Eena. Having experience in falling from great heights already, any potential vertigo was nonexistent and her eyes could differentiate specks of trees from mountains or birds. Catching a "Watch it!" thought from one of the flocks of birds flying by, she spotted the unconscious form of the Noblewoman.

Madoka immediately swooped downward, snatching Eena and scattering the birds aside like fluff fluttering and flittering from a torn up pillow in plumes. Spotting a row of massive ballistae lined up on a tall wall, glinting sunlight off of them, she immediately knew those were the defenses of Gladeban. Eena jolted awake and upon realizing where she was, the loud scream she let out bothered Madoka so much that she roughly pounded the Noblewoman's back to shut her up.

"Calm down, Milady," Madoka growled, shifting her weight. The Lady stopped her fussing and looked at her with an odd expression. No, she realized that Eena was looking at something behind her just beyond her translucent and golden wings. Soon, familiar and distant screaming was immediately falling behind her. She must have jumped out of the Uracksheegal shortly after Madoka did. "Audrey!"

"Whoa!" Audrey flailed around in the air, her voice trailing behind her in a trail of sound as she spiraled sporadically. Her hands were outstretched and released Wind magic everywhere, but whenever she did the force sent her in another direction completely. Madoka hovered in the air just above the treeline, watching the show with a groan, yet seemingly she felt like all of her annoyance with the current situation evaporated. Eena's voice interrupted her out of her amusement.

"C-Can you please put me down," she gasped.

"Oh, my apologies, Lady Eena," Madoka realized that despite her initial roughness with the Lady, she was seemingly more at ease with the maid. Madoka did not really understand Eena's face changing colors to different shades of red, nor how she was able to guide the wings on her back to gently touch down on the surface of the world. Her mind just allowed her to control her wings every electrifying flap at a time.

Once her feet touched the ground and after checking Eena all over to see if she was safe, Madoka breathed a sigh of relief. She was on solid ground. No black roots, no thumping beat, no ominous cubes or statues calling her names. Only the soft whistle of chirp of insects, the droplets of dew falling off leaves and grey daylight poking through the tree branches upon them. Taking another look at Eena, Madoka almost broke away to search for Audrey, but was suddenly caught in an embrace. She should have broken away from the Noble, but something froze her in place despite the warmth covering her arms. Was it fear from all of the other past experience or sheer relief from being on the ground? The blonde Noble's face sent a ripple of complicated feelings quietly blooming within Madoka's own chest.