Princess Kasumi

Itsuki, Isamu, and Sachi quietly made their way out of the dungeon. They now roamed the spookily quiet castle halls.

Itsuki peaked around the corner first, then Isamu, then Sachi. 

"I've never been in the castle before. It's not exactly what I had in mind..." Isamu said as he peered down the empty halls

"Do you think something's going on outside?" Sachi asked.

"Surely we would've heard some sort of commotion. We've been out of the dungeon for quite some time now, yet we haven't run into a single person. It's creepy honestly." Isamu responded.

They started walking down another hallway.

Sachi kept looking over her shoulder to make sure it was clear. "I'm kind of glad we haven't run into anyone. I don't want to get into any trouble." 

"I hope we do run into someone. I'll give them a good greeting." Itsuki threatened. 

Itsuki's tone and even the air around her had changed since they left the dungeon. She didn't speak as much as she used to but when she did, her words were filled with such hatred that it made Isamu and Sachi uncomfortable. 

Isamu laughed awkwardly. "Yeah... How about not?"

Before long, the three of them walked past a grand and elegantly decorated door. 

Itsuki gazed at the door. "I bet there's people through here or at least something valuable."

Isamu sighed. "Aren't we looking for an exit? I mean come on, why did they make this place so big? It's so unnecessary."

Itsuki placed her hand on the door handle. 

Sachi grabbed Itsuki's hand. "Itsuki?"

"What are you doing?" Isamu whisper yelled.

Itsuki didn't respond. She batted Sachi's hand away and opened the door.

Itsuki confidently walked in and Isamu and Sachi quickly went after her.

The room was full of tens of aging male officials, each hunched behind their wooden benches, robed in dark stained silk. Their voices clashed in a constant feverish drone - an endless tide of bickering and boasting. 

They were so loud and preoccupied with their schemes that they didn't notice Itsuki stroll in. Isamu covered Itsuki's mouth and dragged her behind some empty benches, Sachi following quickly behind.

Itsuki pulled Isamu's hand off her mouth. "What are you doing?"

"Me? What are you doing?" Isamu whisper shrieked.

"This is obviously a very important room and therefore these people are important. They're responsible for all the misfortune in the world. For why you're trapped working here. For what happened to dad..." Itsuki explained.

"I know you're angry Itsuki, but we can't just walk in here without any information or at least a plan." Sachi whispered.

Isamu put his hand on Itsuki's shoulder. "Sachi's right. I understand you want to do something, but we can't be reckless."

Itsuki rolled her eyes. "I have-"

"We can lower the number of times the slaves are fed a day. Just enough to keep them alive and nothing more than that. We can save thousands from that alone." One voice boomed.

"We should also start charging travelers when they enter the capital." Another voice echoed.

"We can't charge the travelers. We need them to leave satisfied with their stay. Can't give them any reason to spread rumors." Someone snapped back.

"I suggest we offer to buy lands and properties of the peasants outside the capital. We offer them luxury in the capital in exchange for their property. We expand our territory and gain more workers."

The other male officials looked at one another nodding and murmuring in agreement.

Sachi, Itsuki, and Isamu watched from behind the bench in disgust.

Past the rows of officials, at the end of the grand chamber, elevated atop a stone dais, sat a throne far too large for its occupant. Upon the throne rested a small child, barely old enough to grasp the weight of her crown. Her feet didn't touch the floor, and her hands lay quietly on the carved arms of the throne, fingers gripped around its edges as if to anchor herself. Despite the crown on her small head, she looked more lost and afraid than regal.

Two figures stood apart from the rest of the chaos - one on either side of the little girl. Each leaned down, close to her ears, whispering conflicting words with honeyed poison. It was clear each was eager to plant his vision in the soft soil of the child's mind. 

The room flooded not with justice, nor duty, but of strategies for extracting more from the ones who had least to give. The poor were nothing but numbers to these people. Leverage. Tools. The child blinked, as if trying to follow the storm around her, but her silence was all that anchored the room.

The chaos of the room continued until the small child stood from her throne. The room quickly fell silent. 

"Princess, what is your decision?" One of the officials asked.

The princess looked to the figure who stood to her right and nodded.

The figure on the right spoke for the princess. "The princess has decided to go with the plan of feeding the workers. We shall start the preparations in the morning."

The crowd murmured, some in approval, some not satisfied.

A bell rung and a butler came to collect the child. Once the princess left the room, the officials began to leave the chamber. The figure that stood on the right gave and smug smirk to the one that was on the left as he took his leave. Soon the room was empty except for the Sachi, Itsuki, and Isamu.

Isamu stared wide eyes even behind his helmet. "What in the world?"

Itsuki scoffed. "Why are you surprised? We knew how evil these people are."

Sachi stared at the door the child walked out of. "I don't think all of them are evil..."

Itsuki's anger erupted. "Huh? How could you say that!? We just witnessed them decide to starve the people!"

Sachi shook her head. "I think we're missing something."

Itsuki turned her head away from Sachi, refusing to look at her. "I thought you were better than that Sachi..."

Sachi's chest tightened as she felt a pit in her stomach. What did I do? She hates me now. What do I do? Sachi's ears began to ring.

Isamu awkwardly chuckled. "Now, now let's not let this split us up. We need to stick together if we want to get out of here. Speaking of which, should we find the exit now?"

Itsuki got up. "Do what you want. I'm going to handle this." Itsuki started for the door the princess left through.

"Itsuki come on. We have to go." Isamu begged.

"Then leave! Just like always!" Itsuki snapped back. 

Isamu didn't respond, his voice caught in his throat. Itsuki walked through the door. 

Isamu's head lowered. "I'm not that much of a big brother, am I?"

Sachi took a deep breath. "I'm sure she doesn't think that..."

"I wouldn't blame her if she did."

"Are you going to go after her?"

Isamu smiled. "Of course. She's my sister. I can't leave her alone. How about you?"

Sachi nodded. "She's my friend."

Sachi and Isamu walked through the door Itsuki had gone through to be surprised with an endless seeming corridor with multiple doors.

Isamu sighed. "I really don't want to stay in this castle..."

Sachi opened one door. "Then we better start looking quickly."

Sachi and Isamu opened and looked through the doors one at a time, hoping to find Itsuki and no one else.

The doors led to empty rooms or pitch-black nothingness of dark magic waiting in a trap.

-

Sachi opened a door, and it led to an adorably decorated room. It drew Sachi in. The light pastel blue walls and soft white carpet. The bed draped in bedding to resemble that of a cloud. On the white carpet below Sachi, sat the small girl from before, the one they called their princess.

The child's eyes were filled with terror, but not a sound escaped her mouth. She quickly got up, dropping her stuffed toy, and went to quickly sit on her bed.

Sachi picked up the stuffed toy and followed the girl. She didn't take a seat on her bed but kneeled by it instead. She handed the girl her toy back. "I'm not here to hurt you. I just want to talk to you. Can you tell me your name?"

The girl didn't respond. She kept her head down and didn't look in Sachi's direction. Her long silky black hair cascaded over her fragile looking frame, shielding her from Sachi's view.

"I'm Sachi and I turned 17 earlier this year, what about you?"

The girl still didn't look up or respond.

"You know, I really like how your room looks, it reminds me of the sky."

"...Have you seen the sky...?" The girl finally spoke, her voice shaky.

"I have. Have you?"

The girl's voice was quiet. "I've never left the castle, and the cloud barrier is in the way."

Sachi thought back and she realized it had been a while since she saw the clear blue sky, the cloud barrier did make the surface awfully dreary looking all the time.

"What do you like about the sky?"

"In my books it says that birds fly free in the sky. I wish I was a bird..."

Sachi looked around the room. No window and only one entrance to the endless corridor of doors. Could this child be trapped here? But for what reason. 

"Do you not like being here?" Sachi asked carefully.

"No... It's scary..."

"What's scary?"

"The people... They won't leave me alone..."

Sachi's heart went out to the child. She felt like she was talking to herself.

"Do you want to come with me? I can get you out of here."

The girl's head rose, and her jade green eyes finally met Sachi's. "Do you mean it? Are you lying?"

Sachi smiled softly. "I'm not lying. We can leave here if you want."

The girl slid off her bed, her dress slightly hiking up her legs to reveal several bruises and scars. It was only a moment, but Sachi caught the glimpse of it. 

Sachi stayed kneeled down before the girl. "Those bruises on your legs, who did that?"

The girl's head lowered as she remained silent.

Sachi spoke as gently as she could. "You won't be in trouble for telling me. I won't get mad or yell. I promise."

"They all do it..." The girl finally admitted.

"They?"

"The people that make the rules."

Sachi thought back to the tens of men in that room. Were all of them each coming in here to hurt this child? "What do those people tell you?"

"That we're going to play a game... But I don't like their games, it hurts..."

Sachi felt anxiety forming in her chest as her heart sank to her stomach. She didn't like where this was going, and she wasn't sure she wanted to know. She didn't know how to handle it or what to say. She tried to change the subject. "Earlier, what were those men whispering in your ear?"

"They asked if I wanted to help with feeding the people or with getting more land for the people."

"And you chose more food?"

The girl nodded. "I think more food is better... Was I wrong again?"

Sachi shook her head. "No, you weren't wrong. That was a good choice." Sachi took a deep breath and offered her hand to the girl. "Shall we go?"

The girl hesitated as if scared to feel the contact but ultimately grabbed ahold of Sachi's hand.

Sachi stood up, took the girl by the hand, and started for the door.

"Kasumi..." The girl quietly said.

"Huh?"

"My name is Kasumi. I'm seven."

Sachi smiled. "Kasumi is a really pretty name."