Beyond the Lazuline Sea is an island. Past its fair, sanded shores lies a green mountain peak covered in snow and pink cherry blossom trees. The soft, cloudy sky contrasts with the deep saturation of the ocean beneath. There were many small villages with colorful houses and ornate roofs scattered about the island. A serene sight of natural beauty.
Much of the original island mythos has been largely forgotten, but some of it remains preserved in ancient scripts and images, kept in the castle library. A beautiful castle rests near the mountain base; built for the first royal family, and upkept to this day, though there are no longer any royal heirs or officials.
Here lies a story of love, tragedy, betrayal, and dragons.
Long ago, when humans and beasts roamed as one, there was a small kingdom on a remote island, far from other nations. Here lived a king and a queen who had a beautiful daughter. To all the people of the land, they cherished their beloved princess. She was gentle and kind, and her heart was pure. When it came time for her to marry, the king and queen sought to gather the men of the kingdom and other nations to find a prince. Yet in her heart, the princess knew that she would not find anyone amongst the people gathered.
Though they tried to woo her with gifts, talents, and beauty, the princess felt more overwhelmed than loved. Her mind wandered from the gathering, and she was alone before the gathering was dismissed. All were left disappointed, even her own parents. The princess wandered alone, pondering if she had made the right choice. She made her way to her favorite resting place. A tree beside a lake, the oldest tree in the kingdom. Its branches and trunk, vast in size, stretched over the still water.
She sat under the tree, admiring the view of the lantern lights flickering on the water’s surface. She looked at two lanterns floating beside each other. Her thoughts wander like a quiet whisper in her head. “If only it were that simple.”
A man’s voice is heard behind her, “I knew you’d be here.” The princess immediately recognizes the voice, one that had been with her since childhood. “You know as much as you look into the water, you can’t marry your reflection, Ina,” the voice jests.
“What makes you think I’d want to do something like that? One of me is enough to deal with.” She jokes back. He laughs and finds a seat next to her.
He looks out onto the water, “You always did choose the prettiest places.”
She looks onward, “It’s not about the beauty, but more the feeling.”
He laughs, “It’s always so complicated with you,” but he knows what she means.
She looks at him, “So, where were you today? You know, it could’ve been an important day for me.”
He looks down slightly sheepishly, “Oh, you know, how busy I am… helping my mom and whatnot… besides, don’t friends get a pass for this sort of thing?”
She smiles, trying to hold in a laugh, “Omi, your mom was there making the food for the guests. If you didn’t want to come, you could just be honest.” She looks at him.
Omi turns red with embarrassment. “It’s not that!” he says, flustered, as he tucks his head into his arms.
Ina looks at him, confused, “Then what? It’s really okay if you didn’t want to attend.”
He scrambles, trying to think of what to say. “It’s just… not my crowd…” a part of him not quite satisfied with his answer.
She sighs, “Not mine either, would’ve still been nice for you to be there. At least then I’d have someone to talk to…”
Omi remains silent, Ina looks over the water and chuckles, “Maybe if you were there, they would’ve left me alone.”
Omi is hit with an unexpected jolt as he tries to control his still flustered state. He responds with a half-joke, “Right, if they’re busy ordering me around, I guess they might not bother you as much.”
She laughs, “You know that’s not what I meant.”
He smiles, “No, of course not, but you know that’s what would’ve happened.” He looks at her silently, just long enough to be reminded that this was how it had always been.