The Doll felt the ground leave her feet as she began floating up off of it.
Flight.
Fuga.
The Doll knew what it was; any child growing up knew what it was: one of the three pinnacles of magic. But what she didn't get was how someone her age could use something so complex so effortlessly. This girl had to be a prodigy, the polar opposite of what she was. Yet one thought still lingered in The Dolls mind.
Why Dreadwood for someone so skilled?
The Doll couldn't linger on these thoughts, however, because she already committed to following this girl.
She needed an escape.
Just for a moment.
She would fix her status later, but she knew if she stayed here now something bad would happen. It felt like something was crawling at The Doll from the inside, something that desperately wanted to be heard.
I am you.
The Doll felt the hand that was caressing her cheek move down to grip her hand as she felt herself moving much faster and much higher than before. She could hear the people on the ground shouting a variety of things she didn't care to listen to for right now; her gaze was only focused on one thing.
The girl who held her hand was ascending with her as the white rays of the sun seemingly bathed her in light. She heard a slight giggle from the girl for a reason The Doll could not decipher before the girl said, “Brace yourself.”
Then before The Doll could reasonably gain any time to properly brace herself or even ask what she was bracing herself for, the two were flying much faster and much higher away from the crowd.
I find that to be quite irritating.
The Doll was happy for any chance to be out of that situation, and this feeling of flying felt so freeing. It was almost like she was a child again. Back when…
A cold throne room painted in red.
A woman screaming and begging for her child's safety.
An intruder she couldn't even bring herself to gaze upon.
As these memories flooded in her head, she quickly realized she didn't want to relive them.
She wanted down.
“How much further?” The Doll managed to keep a calm tone as she asked this despite the wind that was rapidly blowing against her face.
“Oh come on, don't tell me you aren't having fun.” The girl effortlessly said as she suddenly did a wide circle in the sky. As she did this wide circle, the two met eye to eye in a serene moment that seemed to slow time down around them.
The Doll gazed into her eyes and for a moment forgot about those inhibitions she had around her childhood. Those memories seemed to fade for a moment as she took in this scene and for a moment felt something other than the empty void.
Then suddenly.
I want down.
The Doll suddenly began violently thrashing against the girl in an attempt to get away.
The girl reacted in what seemed to be shock and panic, struggling to keep them both flying while The Doll was thrashing. “He- Hey Sto- Stop that!” The girl managed to get out while trying her best to keep ahold of The Doll.
The two continued this struggle in the sky for a while until eventually the girl managed to pull The Doll in a bear hug while attempting to make a safe landing. Looking her dead in the eye, the girl said through heavy pants from exhaustion, “Jeez, what's your damage? " A question that caused her to calm down for a moment as she thought about the answer.
The Doll after a moment, simply said, “I’m not sure.” She really wasn't sure; she didn't want to be flying anymore or to act out like that.
It wasn't like her.
It was so unbecoming.
The girl reacted in a way that surprised The Doll; she started to giggle. “You—you just almost took a fall that would've killed you, and you don't know why?” The girl spat out before going back to giggling.
The Doll simply stared unimpressed. “I fail to see what you find so amusing.” She said, calmly stating her exact thoughts on the matter.
Upon hearing this, the girl only began to giggle harder.
As the two began to reach the ground, the girl loosened her grip on The Doll and gently touched the ground. Yet just as The Doll began to pull away to a more appropriate distance, the girl lurched forward and grabbed her hands.
"You and I are going to be best friends.” The girl said as she began pulling The Dolls hands closer to her face.
Despite the closeness of the girl, The Doll, for some reason, found herself keeping her composure in comparison to the incident with Lukaz; she was acting normal. It seemed that whatever overcame her at that moment was gone now, but she still had to deal with this girl. Looking her dead in the eye The Doll said, “I do appreciate your intervention, but I do not need friends. Now would you mind releasing me?” Her tone was cold and stoic, a far cry from the emotional outburst she had prior.
The girl immediately jumped back and released The Dolls hands before profusely and repeatedly bowing. In between bows she said, "I'm sorry you must not like being touched. I should've known that after the scene at the entrance.”
The Doll stepped back at the girl's eccentric behavior; she found this rather weird but didn't question it instead she just said, “Right. We should head back to the academy.” She turned her back to walk in the direction they flew from; it was likely they were already late for her first class.
However, the girl seemed to have other plans as she shouted, “WAIT!” The Doll turned back, if only out of shock from the loud tone the girl took. Suddenly, in an act that seemed entirely out of character for the eccentric girl, she grabbed the bottom of her long tunic with both hands and lifted it up in a curtsy.
“Prehaps this greeting would suffice for you. My name is Tila, Malina Regius.” Then looking up with those mesmerizing eyes, she said, "What's yours?”
The Doll was too shocked to respond she said Regius as in the name of the royal family, the one that ruled over the Realm of Rivenhiem. That explained the immense magical talent, but what was one of the Regius line doing here at Dreadwood? It didn't make sense, though she supposed it wouldn't make sense to most that an Ashencroft was at Dreadwood. She must have her own circumstances, The Doll concluded.
“Hellooooooo.” She heard Malina say as a hand began waving in front of her face. The Doll must have zoned out at the mention of the last name Regius. The Doll figured it was probably best to treat this girl with respect; if she were a Regius, it could be disastrous for the Ashencroft family if she didn't, especially considering the circumstances her family was currently in.
"Yes, I apologize.” The Doll said taking a step back and assuming a curtsy of her own. “Ashencroft, Lady Ashencroft's sole child of Acheron Ashencroft, ruler of Gelun.” The Doll introduced herself in a practiced way, hoping Malina wouldn't notice the lack of a given name she presented herself with.
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Malina leaned in closer to The Doll, closing the distance she had just made yet still not touching her. “Just Ashencroft? No given name?” The Doll could see the burning curiosity in those colorless yet captivating eyes she was staring into.
The Doll nodded in affirmation, "Yes, I do not possess a given name.” Lacking a given name wasn't entirely uncommon in Rivenhiem, especially among only children such as her. However, it was a practice typically kept among commoners and very rarely done by nobles, often considered a mark of disgrace; it was meant for those who served no purpose other than to carry on the bloodline.
Malina took a step back in what The Doll presumed to be disgust; however, she started pacing in a circle and rubbing her chin as if in deep thought. The Doll could only stare on at the strange practice she was doing, yet after a short while she stopped and hopped back into the same position she was previously in as if nothing happened.
“I shall call you Dollie.” She declared suddenly, and then after a single moment of silence, she began to speak again. “Because of your eyes. They look so emotionless like the dolls I used to play with as a child.”
The Doll found this name oddly fitting considering her status in her family, but she failed to see the reason for such a title. “You can just call me Ashencroft as is proper.” The Doll responded, not understanding the logic behind the alternative title.
This oddly caused Malina to start giggling again. “You’re funny, Dollie. I knew we’d be great friends.”
The Doll was immensely confused.
“Lady Re—" she began to say but was quickly cut off by Malina, who put a finger up to her lips. “Pshhh, there's no need for such formality; I'm only the fourth in line, and we’re friends. Just call me Malina.”
The Doll stood there in confusion, attempting to make sense of Malina’s actions, but ultimately decided it was better to listen to the princess rather than defy her. “Very well then, Malina.” The Doll said the words uncomfortably rolling off her tongue.
"That's more like it," Malina said with a smile on her face.
As the two stood there for a moment in silence The Doll perceived it as uncomfortable; she made a suggestion, “We should head back to the academy now. We are likely late for our respective first classes.” As she said this, she began to turn around.
But once again Malina shouted out, “WAIT WAIT WAIT!” causing The Doll to once again turn around at Malina's request. “You can't go yet; we just got here. You haven't even admired the scenery yet.” After saying this, Malina hastily ran over to the edge of the cliff they were on and sat down, patting the ground next to her. “Come onnnnn, sit with me.” Malina said clearly, impatiently.
The Doll only just now realized she hadn't properly examined her surroundings. The two were in what appeared to be an indistinct forest covered with life-filled trees and a grass field filled with flowers that she couldn't identify. Over towards where Malina sat, she saw this flowery field taper off into a narrow cliff where she sat expectantly, waiting for The Doll. She decided it was best to not keep her waiting so the two could head back to the academy sooner as opposed to later.
As she sat down, Malina turned her gaze towards what lay beyond the cliff; she did likewise. What she saw was a sight that she supposed most would describe as beautiful. There was a vast body of water that was surrounded by flowers not dissimilar from the ones they currently sat on. The high sun reflected perfectly across the water's surface, sending waves of light across it.
Turning her gaze away from the sight The Doll looked towards Malina, who was practically leaning off the cliff with intrigue at the scenic area. She looked completely entranced by the sight, something that The Doll couldn't relate to. Perhaps she would understand more if she could see the world the way everyone else did.
Yet in her world without color everything always looked so incredibly bland.
"It's coming, it's coming!” Malina suddenly said with evident excitement lacing her words.
This declaration caused The Doll to shift her attention back to the landscape that Malina found so intriguing. Then she saw it: the water that occupied the lake before them began to move towards the center in an unnatural way, drawing towards it as if building up for something.
Eventually the water stopped moving towards the middle. The Doll thought that this was rather anticlimactic.
Then in a single moment the water erupted up into a single large pillar of water so high it covered the sun that soared above them.
“A magic zone.” The Doll quietly said as the water fell down back to the lake, causing waves as it landed. Such a powerful display of magic, all gathered into a single area, condensed to the point it caused a phenomenon beyond natural understanding.
Such a large collection of something she couldn't use.
Something she could never use.
She heard laughing as she felt Malina's gaze turn to her. “That was awesome, right?” She then heard her laugh stop as she turned her eyes to meet hers. “Are you okay, Dollie?”
The Doll opened her mouth to respond, not missing a single beat, "Yes, I'm fine. Why do you ask?” The Doll was confused as to why she would ask this considering that, as far as The Doll was concerned, everything was fine
Malina simply said, "Righttttttt," dragging out the end of the word as she looked back at the landscape.
The two sat there in a silence that The Doll perceived as awkward, yet she wasn't quite sure what to say. Fortunately, she heard Malina begin to speak. “You know, I want to know more about you, Dollie. I'll tell you about me first, of course.” Malina's voice didn't waver even slightly as she said this.
The Doll opened her mouth to say that she would rather head back to the academy, but Malina cut her off. “Hmmm, let's see, on my off time I love studying everything I can about magic. I really do just love everything about magic. Except for fighting, I hate fighting.” She then paused for a moment as if that were an important fact before continuing, “I love the guava berries that grow in the royal garden, and I absolutely hate blathamos. I think they're so bitter and disgusting.” All of this was said in such a rapid breath as if she didn't even have to think about it for a moment.
“Okay, okay, now it's your turn; tell me something about yourself, Dollie.” Malina said after letting all of the information she had just dropped on The Doll sit in.
The Doll had not planned for something like this; she didn't know how to respond to somebody actually asking about her. As she thought, she realized there was nothing she could tell her. She didn't have any hobbies or interests, nor favorite or least favorite foods.
She truly had nothing.
What would she say?
How Father thrust all responsibilities on her because he couldn't have another child? No, that wasn't allowed.
How she was engaged to a guy she absolutely loathed? No, that wasn't allowed.
How she had not made a single decision for herself in the past twelve years? How she couldnt even use magic anymore? How her world was ever so colorless? How Mother died right in front of her eyes?
No, all of it wasn't allowed; she couldn't speak on any of it. All of it was forbidden for a doll like her.
She looked towards Malina, who was staring at her expectantly, waiting for a response. “I have nothing to tell you.” The Doll simply said a response she was sure Malina didn't expect after such a long pause.
The Doll fully expected Malina to react with disappointment, maybe even resentment, yet none of those came. Instead she suddenly grabbed The Dolls hands and pulled herself close. "Ah, so that's how you're going to play it, I see.”
The Doll wasn't quite sure what she was talking about.
Malina continued unperturbed. “Very well then, I will simply hang around you enough to learn everything about you. I want to be close with you. I want you to like me. I want to understand you. I want to know who you are, not who this persona that you put on is.” Once she finished saying this, she released The Dolls hands and rubbed the back of her head. “Oh yeah, sorry I forgot that you don't like to be touched. I'm not off to a good start.” She said with a slight giggle.
The Doll sat there in stunned silence before saying one single word, “Why?” Why did she care so much? Why did she want to get to know her? Why did she have to ruin this fragile balance that was the life of a doll?
Maliina tilted her head as if The Dolls question made no sense. “I just want to. Is that so weird?”
“Yes.” The Doll simply replied she couldn't understand Malina at all; nothing about this situation made sense. Yet she didn't want her to leave; she wasn't sure why. Malina only represented a threat to what she had established. But something about her, no, something about the idea of being wanted made her feel an emotion that was entirely foreign to her.
“But I suppose I can't stop you from following me around; you are the only person at this academy above me in terms of family lineage.” The Doll said, relenting to Malina.
Malina smiled and moved her hands up clearly intending to hug her but ended up stopping halfway through before backing up. The Doll simply said, “You may touch me.”
Instead of hugging her like The Doll expected, Malina started manically giggling, rolling around on the ground dangerously close to falling off the cliff. “You really have to work on how you say things, Dollie.” Malina ended up saying after she finished this fit of giggles.
The Doll truly didn't understand this girl at all.
As they sat there, a large bell rang from the direction of the academy. "Oh, we missed all of first period.” Malina said as this bell rang, “You know we could also miss second period; I wouldn't mind.” She added on in a mischievous tone.
The Doll replied in her normal stoic tone, “I truly don't understand why you would go to an academy and not want to attend class. It makes no sense.” She then stood up and held her hand out. "Would you please fly us back? We will be late if you don't."
Malina giggled as she grabbed her hand. "Oh, you just want another excuse for me to touch you.” As she said this, the two began to take off into the sky.
While they left the ground The Doll looked off into the distance, taking one last peek at the mana zone they previously observed. Then just for a single moment she thought she saw a creature appear, flying above the lake. It had wings and multiple eye-
It must have been nothing.
The Doll looked back towards Malina, curious as to why she would even bother looking back. It all still lacked color anyway.