Kingdom of Tales

Chapter 4 (Child's Play)

And so, training began with Shiro. He was to meet me every morning at the same clearing, at the same time. I had never meant to make Shiro my apprentice in the first place, yet he reminded me so much of my former self, maybe more that than Him. No matter. I shook my head in disapproval. I shouldn't think like that.

I managed to awake earlier than intended to, so I took a stroll out to the town. It was peaceful in the dark. I sat at the base of a small water fountain in the central plaza and looked up to the dark lilac sky. I sighed tiredly. "When was the last time I enjoyed a sky like this?" I muttered to myself, unaware of my surroundings. "Not sure, you tell me." A sudden voice appeared behind me. I immediately turned around, with what seemed as a glimpse of a black ghost, was really a small old woman.

"D-Deika... it's you." It's only you. I sighed of relief. Deika seemed to be aware of my wariness and approached slowly. "What are you doing out here?" I asked with a slight shake in my voice. "I could ask the same thing." The old woman chuckled. "I was helping out the local bakery. I also went to pray at the town shrine uphill." Deika pointed to a large hill north of town to a distant shrine gate.

"You have a religion?" She nodded. "Moonlight Village believes in a very old goddess. She has been forgotten over the past century. But we still believe she exists." Deika folded her hands together in hope. "What do you mean by forgotten, if I may ask?" I was concerned on what the term "forgotten" meant, at least in that context. At least I know what it's like to be... forgotten, in one way or another.

"The goddess that we believe in was very relevant a century ago. Perhaps you believed in her as well. She was then accused by a group of people to be a manipulator, a sinner. They convinced the majority of the country to believe in another goddess. Moonlight refused to this and stuck to their ways, no matter how old-fashioned it was." I raised a brow.

"You seem to know a lot, Deika." I grew concerned. "I've just been around for too long." She chuckled once again. How can you laugh at a time like this...? I sighed and continued question. "What were the goddess' names?" The old woman frowned at the thought I could only assume was the second goddess. "Well, there's our goddess, Lady Thread." I couldn't help but attempt to hold in a laugh. What kind of name is "Thread"? Deika seemed to notice my awkward attempt to. "It's said that she used a thread and needle to tie the world together." She practically read my thoughts.

"I see. And the second goddess?" She sighed, slight disappointment in her eyes. "Goddess Maria. They don't even refer to her as a human being, just an object to worship. Plus, boring name if you ask me." She expressed her slight hatred towards the goddess. "Well, if it's a religion, it's a religion. You can't blame people." Deika walked a slight distance away.

"Those religious groups took away our shrines and temples across the country and replaced them with churches dedicated to Maria. Our only hope is this village..." She expanded her gaze towards the town. "The village of refugees." I looked down grimly. I wonder if other towns are like this. There isn't any famine, or homelessness, or even injustice with royalty, but there are despairs in this town that are more than those.

"Deika, I know you're depressed under that smile," I confessed. "This town must be hiding something under its smiles and laughs, isn't it?" I asked one last question. Deika turned to me, smiling sadly. "We're all guilty of something, aren't we, Miss Noire?" She looked down, turning away and walked back to their home. I couldn't let her walk away, not just yet. I stood up and clenched my fists.