A Blissful Year, Act II
Summer of Light
XI.
Madoka lay in her old bed questioning herself. She wanted to dance and hold the princess but she also wanted to rematch against the princess and win. Elise made her head go to war with her heart. Madoka's body felt too small for these feelings.
Was this what she meant when she said she was going to pop?
Madoka tossed herself to the other side of the bed. Some of the idioms the princess used were absolutely bizarre and unheard of. Some of her thoughts and concepts were the mark of her genius. Still, despite those things she could not communicate well. Madoka knew the princess was much smarter and stronger than Madoka had any right to be, since she practically raised her all alone in the palace. That was the reason she felt like she was rapidly falling behind. Perhaps she was never in the lead at all.
The princess has since spoken about what she plans to do in regards to the futures that she's seen. Madoka could not understand despite being told over and over. She was ordered to watch over the princess by the king himself. Madoka did not know why she thought so hard about these things.
Still, both Lord Zeron and Lord Leopride made it clear to her that she should protect Elise with all that she has got. Lord Leopride gave a salute before the both of them departed with those other guests. Madoka stayed quiet around them, as a maid should. She also did not trust any nobles.
The truth was, she never had time to even meet with her fellow servants. Only passing smiles and small conversations were exchanged between Madoka and the maids. There were not too many servants in the Estate anyways; Elise had sent most of her staff back to the Palace and set most of them free. Even most guards and mages were sent to the villages and towns surrounding the estate.
Madoka refused the princess's personal offer of freedom.
"Fool, you think you could get rid of me so easily?" Madoka scolded Elise at the time. Elise looked sad for a second but smiled at her decision.
So Madoka was left to attend to Elise in her daily endeavors. Despite the harsh training, Madoka found this experience enjoyable. She feared something was wrong with her. Training until she sweat head to toe, getting beaten and broken until she could get back up... It certainly was not ladylike in the slightest.
Madoka would process it all by praying to all of the kind gods she knew of. She also needed them especially for today because the princess planned to head into the wilderness beyond the labyrinth. She shuddered at the thought of the labyrinth. How were they to conquer the ruins?
Still, Madoka could only stall the inevitable for a little while. She rolled out of bed and inspected herself. Her muscles and scars showed their imperfections clearly in the setting moons' visage. Just what did Elise see in her that made her declare Madoka as the one in her dreams?
It was a question for another day, she supposed.
The maid got up and slipped her uniform on then headed out to wake her princess. To her surprise, the princess was already awake when Madoka knocked on her doors. She urgently called Madoka in. "Come in! Come in! Help me!"
"Excuse me," Madoka entered the room with a bow. The princess was standing over several folded sets of travelers' garbs. Madoka sighed. She thought the situation was like one of her night terrors. "Choose the brown or green one. The white one will be harder to hide the stains."
"Wha-" Elise turned to her. "How did you know what my question was going to be? Are you some kind of mind reader?"
"It's not healthy for you to lean over your bed like that," Madoka ignored her. "You need to stand up straight."
"Guh, just let me live my little life, you workaholic maid!" The princess crossed her arms as she straightened herself up. Then she chose the brown cloak. "Speaking of work, we have a lot of that to do!"
"I guess we do," Madoka said, resigned.
"Don't be that way!" Elise said as she let Madoka put her cloak on. "We're going on another adventure!"
Madoka groaned.
"A-Are you sure you want to go there?"
The princess stopped and placed her hand on her chin in thought. Then she nodded.
"Truth is, I'm not a fan of it, but we're going to have to reach those ruins," Elise said. "I don't even think they're actually ruins. Nothing in this world makes any sense though, so it makes it worth the trouble investigating before everything goes down in flames. Plus..."
She trailed off.
"Plus what?" Madoka pressed. She knew she refused to leave when the princess offered, but she figured she might as well ask what Elise was thinking.
"Plus the gods told me to go there."
The kind gods spoke to her? She always talked down about them. Madoka could not tell if the remark was a joke but she let it go. The sun was rising soon. They would have to get on Ciara and depart quickly if they wanted to get ahead of the heat for a while.
After eating and struggling to get the princess to sit on Ciara, they were off to the forest. The estate was near empty as they left. It felt strange that no one greeted them as they passed through the gates. These changes were gradual but of course, one only sees the dust once it has all piled up.
Ciara's mane raised once they approached the labyrinth's entrance. It has remained undisturbed since they last opened it. The strange door with runes glowing a faint white light beckoned them like a predator luring its prey. Madoka pat Ciara's head and neck, soothing the beast as it shyed away from the labyrinth.
"Ah, this brings back memories," Elise hopped off Ciara.
"So you can get on and off the horse," Madoka scoffed as she also got off Ciara. An odd sense of deja vu struck her as she saw Elise turn to her and feigned being offended. She pulled out her notebook. The strange tome was practically attached to Elise's hip now, just like Madoka's ax. She was looking at the map.
"According to the map," she traced a line where they were. Madoka looked over Elise's shoulder as she was lost in thought. "The ruins are a bit further ahead. The last time we took the bordering path to the town. This time, we're coming from behind it. You see?"
"Uh huh," Madoka said unconvincingly.
"You're so close...!" Elise blushed. Their lips almost brushed against each other. Madoka felt her cheeks get warm before scooting away.
"Don't think anything of it!" Madoka dismissed the princess. "I don't get this map."
"I have a lot to teach you," Elise sighed. "Anyways, we'll be approaching it with it fully in view. Ruins or not. If some spooky stuff happens we can hightail it out of there. We should've figured out how to close this door..."
She inspected the nearby plates. Elise rolled up her sleeve, looking for the tattoo.
"Where is that little guy," she raised her arm awkwardly. The tattoo was beneath her elbow, but it escaped further to her shoulder. "Dammit, what a little bastard."
"What if you used magic on the door?" Madoka wondered aloud. Elise's face lit up.
"Good idea!" She exclaimed. "I've actually been working on my magic theories a lot. It's a lot easier than I first thought! Or maybe I'm just getting more magic muscle! Hiyah!"
The ring of magic at the center of Elise's chest flared as bright as the sun. Madoka had to look away. She concentrated, her eyes narrowing on the labyrinth entrance.
"Go!" Elise yelled. Two large gusts of green wind rushed from Elise's sides as if someone threw two curved swords at it. Both of them crashed with the labyrinth's doors. Ciara neighed, but Madoka calmed her down. The two waited for a minute in apprehension but nothing happened. Madoka was amazed that Elise could use the Wind element. "Well, I give up."
"Amazing..." Madoka said in awe.
"Huh?" The princess looked at Madoka quizzically.
"You can use wind magic, fire magic and water magic..." Madoka gawked at the door. Traces of the green wind magic still shimmered along the door's runes.
"Oh, that's a great idea!" Elise exclaimed. "I could try fire magic!"
"No!" Madoka restrained Elise. "You'll cause a forest fire!"
"Oh, right," Elise sighed, but leaned in Madoka's arms and watched her. Madoka stared back at her, puzzled. "Are you sure you can't use magic?"
"I am simply a commoner, princess," Madoka straightened Elise up and took Ciara's reins again. "I can't use magic even if I tried."
"Commoners can use magic. Odd," Elise stared at something around Madoka. Or many things, perhaps she truly did not want to know the unseeable around her. "The mana I see, well, I call those things mana anyhow. It gathers all around you. You're practically glowing, Madoka. Glowing!"
Madoka certainly did not feel anything weird about her, but something about what the princess said made her self-conscious.
"We should get moving," Elise kicked the plate. It did not budge and she stumbled over her boot. "Ach!"
Madoka rolled her eyes.
"Get back on, then," she instructed Elise, but Elise shook her head and refused.
"I-I'll be on foot, okay? The place isn't too far away from here."
Foot it is, then. Madoka led Ciara while following the princess. They tread over moss and grass mixed with mud. They could have brought soldiers along. What were both the Lords doing? Madoka guessed that they were sent away by the princess. This past month was eerily quiet. The last month of the Summer of Light.
Madoka's mind wandered, but she was afraid to bring anything she was thinking up. So she joined the silence as the pair walked. She has not heard the princess talk about the King for some time. She used to talk about life in the palace, but lately she remained sequestered in her chambers. The King did not visit at all, nor did her brother after a while. His soldiers were seen in the town a few times, yet less activity seemed to flow across the whole Estate. Madoka could not help but feel angry over their cruelty. Did they truly disown Elise?
"You've a dark look on your face, Madoka," Elise was looking at her. "What's shakin', bacon?"
The odd phrase shook her out of her thoughts. Madoka could decipher some meanings and contextual clues from her tone of voice. A skill she's had to learn over the years that yielded varying degrees of success.
"Your Father," she led with that. Elise cocked her head. "He has never once bothered to come by."
"You're thinking of my old man?" Elise frowned. "Even I forgot he existed for a second."
She laughed bitterly.
"I think I have to face him by the end of this month," the princess said. The look of fear was overtaking her usual cheerful demeanor. "Things are going to get really scary for me the next time I see him, Madoka. That's why I got to kick this off the list really quick before they summon me."
"What for?" Madoka asked. Ciara's thoughts were nervous, but the maid was distracted. Elise looked away and did not answer. Madoka tugged her hand. "I'll go with you."
"I wish you didn't have to suffer with me," Elise said with a sigh. "I've mentioned this, haven't I? I am a heretic. A witch to be arrested. My dear brother must have found an opportunity to change the King's mind in sparing me by now."
"Is this all in your future visions?" Madoka pressed. Elise stopped walking, holding an arm to keep Madoka from taking another step forward. She gestured to be silent.
A rush of birds and wildlife flew out of a tree, like a flurry of torn out pages from a book.
Run!
I'm scared!
Ominous!
Get away!
Run!
Move!
The cacophony of thoughts was so strong that Madoka released Elise's hand.
"Gah!" Madoka covered her ears, like that would help. Ciara neighed, her hair standing stiff. She refused to budge. Elise was saying something while holding Madoka. Lots of birds' and bats' wings fluttered like a rainstorm, taking leaves with them. Madoka grit her teeth and focused up. This terrifying aura and the fleeing creatures meant that the ruins were close.
"Are you alright now?" Elise checked Madoka all over. "What was it that was hurting you?"
She could not tell what was affecting her? Madoka contemplated telling the princess the truth. Why was she keeping it a secret?
"I hear the thoughts of animals," Madoka blurted. Elise looked oddly at her but then relaxed a little.
"So that's how you and the horse get along so well," Elise noted. "So interesting. You're, like, some kind of animal whisperer."
"The thoughts have faded," Madoka said. Elise helped her up. "That means the ruins are close."
Elise nodded. After some effort, Madoka was able to get Ciara to move. Her thoughts were only expressions of terror. Everything in the forest around them was unusually quiet. Only the sound of their boots crunching over grass and dirt remained. The forest was opening up into a clearing, revealing the ruins to them as the girls approached. Madoka was shocked at the sight.
A circular platform with towering pillars dotted around it was there, remaining inert and still. It appeared to be an altar. Madoka felt odd, like something was twisting her stomach into knots just looking at the strange structure. Elise covered her mouth as she walked closer to it.
"Elise!" Madoka hissed. Her voice was lowered as if noise might disturb the altar. Elise stared at the circular platform. Madoka noticed strange runes etched onto its sides along with the perfectly symmetrical indentations within its exterior. This altar was unlike anything she's ever seen - if it was an altar to begin with.
Elise reached out to trace the runes with her fingers, but withdrew them after Madoka shot her a look.
"These runes..." Her eyes widened at a sudden revelation over them. "They kind of look Egyptian-ish— No, they look Sumerian. What is this structure?"
"Seems like an altar of some kind," Madoka suggested.
"There's got to be more to this," Elise started to walk around it. "Why is this writing script here? This whole altar seems like it's straight out of a science fiction movie. Like Star Something or whatsit. Star Travels? Whatever."
Madoka had no idea what Elise was talking about, but Ciara suddenly started neighing in distress. They had left her at the edge of the clearing where she refused to approach the altar.
"I'll get her," Madoka said, but Elise tugged her hand.
"Don't leave me here! I-I'm coming with!" Elise said. Madoka felt goosebumps marring her skin. Both must have been feeling equally nervous around this altar. As both turned to head towards the horse Madoka heard a voice. An icy chill ran down her spine and rooted Madoka's feet to the ground. Elise started breathing heavily from the stress. It was evident that she also heard the voice speak.
「Finally, we meet, Audrey.」
Madoka could not understand what the voice was saying but to her shock, the Princess responded to the voice in a language she's never heard. Or was she speaking in tongues? Ciara's neck braced upward and her ears twitched. Madoka sensed the fear overwhelming her and the horse bolted away.
Elise gestured to Madoka to get Ciara while she conversed with whatever the voice was. Madoka cursed in her head. Dammit, what in the world is happening? Who or what is that voice? She could see Ciara cornered with her legs in a wide stance, backed away from the altar. Madoka approached her slowly for fear that she might run again or buck.
"Easy, easy," Madoka calmed the horse down and then tied her to the tree. Ciara neighed loudly, but Madoka raced back to Elise. "Elise!"
The princess was doubled over, clutching her head as she leaned against the altar.
"Gah," Elise groaned. Madoka knelt down to inspect her princess. Her skin was pale; all the way to a sickly white. She barely looked at Madoka before stumbling and stopping herself from falling by catching an indent on the altar with her hands.
"What happened? Are you alright?"
Elise looked at her and did not speak for a moment. She looked as if she was drowning. Madoka realized her hands were still on the altar and the symbols on it were glowing a faint orange. She tore her hands off of it and caught the princess as she tripped. Madoka noticed as soon as she stopped touching the altar the runes went dormant again and lost their glow.
"Goddamn," Elise breathed heavily.
"Are you okay? What do you need? Ciara has our lunch, I can—"
"It's alright," Elise interrupted the worried maid. "Just let me catch a breath, okay?"
Madoka just held her tight. The strange feeling around this place seemed to have lifted and the sunlight peeked between the branches again.
XII.
"Can you walk now?" Madoka asked her princess. Elise had fully burrowed her head into Madoka's shoulder. She was on high alert, since they were still very much in the middle of the woods amongst the horrible ruins. Or altar.
"Mmm," Elise made a noise, trying to get up.
Don't leave me.
I am waiting here.
Come to me quickly.
Madoka heard Ciara's thoughts as she helped Elise. At the rate of the danger they were in, she cared not what that strange voice she heard was at the moment. The alien and unnerving presence she felt from the altar faded away, but Madoka remained vigilant. She was her princess's shield and ax, after all. Or maybe the saying was sword and shield?
The princess was muttering something, but Madoka could not understand her.
"It's been awhile," she chuckled. "Since I last spoke English."
"Was..." Madoka was terrified at the realization that the princess was speaking about the tongues. "Is 'English' the language of the Gods?"
"Ha," Elise laughed. "Perhaps I should teach you English."
Madoka gulped. Was it even possible that she, a mere commoner, could speak the language the gods spoke?
"I-I don't think I'm worthy of such knowledge," Madoka stammered.
"Come on," Elise said. The two found Ciara waiting for the girls to come. Madoka sent a prayer to the kind gods in thanks that the horse was unharmed. "You already know, what, like three languages?"
"Commoner, Noble, and Royal," Madoka stated. Commoners used a reverent form of Noble to speak to nobles while the nobles themselves used a reverent form of Royal to speak with the Royals. She remembered her training in Royal. The ancient language itself was being phased out, even the princess herself said that nobles get away without using reverent Royal to address even the King. The princess admitted she did not learn Royal, but knew only key phrases. "Still, is this English language not the one that god used?"
Commoners were not to dare speak to a Royal, Madoka thought some more about English. The language even gods use, perhaps Royals would use a reverent form of English to speak with the gods. And here Madoka was, speaking in Noble with Elise like she was equals with her. It was the princess's personal request.
"Trilingual," Elise said with surprise in her voice. Why was she surprised, Madoka thought. The princess herself could speak three languages, one which no one has ever heard before. "You're smart!"
Madoka suddenly felt her throat feel constricted. Something felt wrong when she looked at the princess now. She was not talking to the real princess. She was talking to... Why was she feeling so...? The shock slowly settled on her skin like a disgusting form of sunlight. She was facing the fact that everything the princess told Madoka about herself was true. It was Madoka's turn to lean on Ciara, pale from this revelation. Elise was not the real Elise. A kind god... spoke to the princess.
"Madoka?" Elise asked her. "English isn't that hard. Hell, there's not even rolling R's. Although, it's a pain in the ass to understand that some of its rules are contradictory... It's decided. We will learn English together when we get home. Madoka?"
Madoka let out a laugh. She did not know why. Her princess was a being from another world. Was she a demon like the nobles in the Palace said? Her head was falling apart in a spiral but all she could do is laugh in disbelief that she was forced to believe. Her own eyes have seen Elise be different. Her own ears have heard otherworldliness. Madoka's hands have fought off the shaking for too long but now she was a mess in hysterics.
Elise just remained silent, quietly placing a hand on Madoka's as she laughed and cried. Madoka instinctively yanked her hand away as if it was a poisonous snake. Did Elise understand the position she's placed Madoka in? Madoka did not care. She was terrified of this new Elise.
"I'm sorry," Elise whispered. "You must hate me now."
"H-How long has it been?" Madoka mused after she finally calmed down. She was really just talking aloud. She was just staring at the spots on Ciara's body since she did not want to face Elise. "You were... how old were you?"
"Seven," Elise confirmed softly. "When you first saved me. Look, I'm prepared to face this alone. There's still time for you to leave— Eep!"
Madoka slammed a fist on the trunk of the tree Ciara was tied to. It was harsh, but Madoka realized that she did not know whoever the original Princess was. Madoka turned and faced Elise. Elise shrunk beneath Madoka's gaze. Madoka thought she was adorable. The woman standing before her was her Elise. Her friend who she attended to for many years. Her princess she's chased up and down the hallways of the Palace. For whatever reason those thoughts calmed Madoka down.
Madoka truly was becoming a burden to her again. She held Elise in her gaze for a moment longer before she broke the silence.
"I'm sorry, Elise. I think I'm fine now," Madoka said finally and clasped a hand on Elise's.
"You don't dislike me?" Elise asked meekly.
"I-I realized," Madoka had trouble articulating her thoughts on the matter. So she did not. "I'm your servant. Hmph! Now get on Ciara!"
At the sound of her name, Ciara's ears perked up. Elise's sad eyes lit up again, but also needed to be lifted up on the horse's back. That is right, Madoka concluded. She was serving her friend as she always has been.
"That... god... or whatever," Madoka trailed off. Ciara was eager to get out of the forest so Madoka let her move faster than a walk following the markings she left to backtrack. She could not stop her curiosity from running rampant in her mind. "What did it say?"
"Ha... god, huh," The princess scoffed when Madoka called the voice a deity. How could Elise deny it was a god? "They granted me certain... let's just call it knowledge? For my magic. Also they said they were not the one who sent me here. Could you believe that?"
Madoka stayed quiet. The kind god helped her princess's magic? She resigned herself again realizing that if what the princess's visions were true then Elise will need all of the help she can get.
"Yes, I can believe that," Madoka pushed Ciara into a gallop as soon as they were out of that dreadful forest. The Estate loomed in the distance as they rode with the princess screaming the whole way.
The princess was huffing and puffing as Madoka slowed Ciara to a halt.
"Elise," Madoka rolled her eyes. "We have arrived. You can let go of me now."
"That's it!" She wheezed, getting off the horse. Ciara was quite pleased with herself. Elise pointed a finger at Madoka. What was the princess planning this time? "You're learning English, dammit. I am teaching you. We can work on reading while we're at it."
For some reason, learning how to read and a new language daunted Madoka more than her physical training.
"Starting with the alphabet!"
"Why?" Madoka complained. The princess smirked, seemingly pleased with herself that the maid was capable of complaining. "I don't want to learn!"
"Because," Elise turned before entering the Estate's door. Madoka had forgotten how empty it was. "It'll be like a secret language! We will be the only two people in the world to speak it! And the whole, uh, God thing."
As the last month of the Summer came to a close, Madoka found herself learning to be able to speak English. It was odd to her how easy she found learning language was, although she could only speak certain phrases confidently. To Elise, that was all she needed. Given time, Madoka would learn how to speak the language of the gods easier. She frequently asked Elise how to say something while the princess giggled at Madoka's accent and said it was cute.
"You probably would be really good at math and science," Elise spoke in English most of the time.
"D-Don't tell me you're going to teach me more things," Madoka complained. She still had a hard time with certain sounds, but it seemed the princess could understand her. Elise laughed. She held up another tome with Madoka's writings on it.
"Bah! I wouldn't teach you math. Who needs it in real life?" Elise said. Madoka could not tell if she was being sarcastic. "By the way, your homework is finally passing! Yippee!"
Madoka sighed as the princess danced around with the papers. Outside, a loud horn was blown. Both girls looked at each other.
"Are we under attack?" Madoka asked, ducking beneath a window.
"No," Elise said. "It's the end of our Summer of Light."
"We are here for Princess Elise Fiara!" Called someone from outside. Madoka and Elise headed outside to be greeted by a row of soldiers. A carriage awaited them. They bowed. Madoka realized that their crests matched Elise's Brother's crest.
"What is this commotion for?" Elise spoke in Royal, this time. Madoka was glad that she still remembered their native languages.
"Forgive us," the captain of the soldiers bowed. Just then, the carriage doors opened and out stepped Brother Fiara. Prince Fiara. Madoka's heart sank in nervousness as he smiled. The soldiers backed away from Prince Fiara as he strode confidently to the princess and her maid.
"Greetings, Dear Sister," the Prince's voice was light and gentle but Madoka sensed something unnerving beneath his Royal words. Elise appeared to be defiant but deep down she was scared, Madoka could tell. "Our Father calls for you. Oh, and you can come with us, too, faithful servant of my sister."
Madoka bowed and quietly followed the two Royals to the carriage with her fears welling up a tempestuous storm inside of her. She left her weapons inside. What could she possibly do?
The carriage was pulling away further and further from the Estate as if it was taking Madoka and Elise to hell itself.