“Yes, you are doing quite-quite well, sister-in-w.” I praised Selensha, who was struggling to ie the jade wind energy that was swirling about the park where I had made my initial ir, back before Akio defeated me. Even now, the shimmering silver Ether Spires were drawing in the surrounding energies, funnelling wind to the Elemental Silo. We are gathering a respectable amount. Well, perhaps soon… I she air, the st of the wind refreshing, but u y a tang of other energies. My Mystic Eyes shone a brilliant amber, and as I momentarily g the sky, I could see vivid dark rainbows behind the endless silver lightning, faint trickles of dark unlight leaking free, dang in the skies.

  Perhaps this calm is beginning to turn. That would be most wele, sidering the deys the slowing has caused our stru. Putting those thoughts aside, I tio use my Eyes to observe Selensha. Her body was suffering, emerald needles of wind energy pierg her work in unlikely, inappropriate pces, and she was even bleeding, red and silver. On seeing that, Selensha groueeth, clutg at her oraff, the e crystal atop it glowing brilliantly, and her internal water element surged, washing away the wind, beginning to repair her injuries.

  “Not-not a bad effort.” I sighed, my own Healing, her body knitting back together, fur regaining its brilliant white lustre. “Sometimes I wonder just how-how my brother mao win such a fine female as you, Selensha.”

  “I do often wonder, sider that myself.” Anna, my sister, was visiting from the Fae Realms, and had been watg Selensha train with a little guidance from myself. “Well, Raggy is not so bad, not too terrible. Though he should not fet that I am still rather angry, quite furious about the trials he put you through before.”

  “All water uhe bridge, as the mortals say, Anna.” I replied calmly. “In the end, if brother Shaeraggo had not-not have been such a fool, we would likely have suffered greatly trying to secure our Territory aed our many-many enemies. And the Spring would never have beeured. Results do matter, my dear-dear Anna. And he has helped us greatly since. I hold-hold no further ill-will.” Ixitt, Bjarki and Hyath would not have been with us, most likely. I looked down at the rather fetg armoured dress Master Bjarki had made me, liking the way it both protected me and looked charming, the bck cloth lined with shimmering dark scales of metal very pretty. It is a shame Akio did not have time to see me don it.

  I had barely thought that before Anna had rushed at me, grabbing me in a hug. Even with my newfound abilities I was still no match for her in terms of physical strength and speed, though I believed my elemental aptitudes rather outstripped her. “Oh, my U, so cute, so adorable! Raggy is lucky to have such a fiving, sweet little sister!”

  “Please, let me go-go, Anna!” I squirmed in her embrace, aually she released me, eyes gleaming. Straightening my dress armour, I smiled. “Thank you. Well, from what-what I see, Selensha, you are not-not too far from yoal.” I detailed my findings, mostly about how the wind energy was not cirg to her heart chakra, and was instead mixing in with the water in her sacral one, leading to the wind growing too powerful, and exploding within her, causing injury. “… so you must-must bahe flow. It is not-not trivial, I know. But… I like to believe myself a master of such!” I puffed out my chest proudly, missing the head pats I would likely receive after a decration such as that were Akio here, so a sigh leaked from my lips.

  “Do not be downcast, so disheartened, my U! Sister Anna is here for you!” My sister soled me, and I smiled.

  “I know. I am not-not down, not-not truly. I have many tasks to occupy my time. But… back to the matter at hand-hand. Mortals seem to have a far-far easier time adapting to elements, perhaps because their existence is pin, ued. Our aspects, they do surely-surely fight against what we try and achieve. However…” my gaze was intense, and Selensha shivered, while Anna shuddered with a differeion. “We know it - be achieved. In the past, more Fae managed, such as Princess Estalian and others. But most importantly… I stand before you as proof-proof positive. I did even overe the earth that should be inimical to me, and now…” I gestured, and the ground exploded, though my earth element was far weaker than I had anticipated. Perhaps there is still more to do, to learn… “… I and many elements.”

  “So, are you saying mortals will surpass us, U? That I ot tolerate, will not allow. If the war returns, the Seelie Court will surely be in grave peril, deadly danger!”

  I shook my head. “That will not-not happen, never. Akio and those he has allied with would fight with us against other mortals, I am quite certain. But we have other strengths, sister Anna, Selensha.” It was gratifying seeing them listen to me carefully, sidering I used to be thought of as merely arrogant and weak. “I believe that mortals find it far-far easier to ge themselves, but we Fae and others like us, such as Yokai, we have i strengths, born stronger and most-most gifted. They are bnk-bnk vasses, whereas we are already beautiful artworks, yet…” I gathered my thoughts. “…bnk vasses be painted, and already beautiful artworks surely-surely be further improved upon. We, none-none of us, have found our limits yet.” Every day I discover more that we do.

  “You motivate me, U! I shall never let you go so far, too distant ahead of me. I have my pride as your sister to think of! I will surely master a sed element, break my limits, shatter my boundaries.” She umped up, and I was happy to see it. I gave her encement, and as she once mrabbed me for a hug, my new maid-in-training, one of the many intergeable daughters of Ixitt, rushed in.

  “Princesses, Lady Selensha, Grulgor has e to see you. I asked him to wait to check it was fine and he did, but…” she wiped silvery sweat from her brow and I grinned.

  “Why yes, Grulgor has-has bee almost embarrassingly well-behaved retly. Did he say what he wished-wished to discuss?”

  “No, I fot to ask. Five me!” my maid said, mortified, and I waved it away with good humour.

  “Well, please do better ime. You may-may allow him entry.”

  Anna bristled, reag for her spear. Even though we were now in alliah Duke Formor, and he had stopped his provoking of my father, my sister still did not trust trolls iants, and the fact Grulgor had beeo the Boundary of Japan to kill me was arike against him. Though, it is most strahat I now trust Grulgor with my ba battle. Akio is right. Today’s enemies may be tomorrow’s friends. Well, those who are not beyond redemption, of course.

  Moments ter, Grulgor traipsed in, his body a twisted mess of wounds and torn flesh, craters gouged out of his sturdy body. Even as we watched in disgust, his flesh was bubbling and regrowing, his regeion, which was abnormal even for trolls, rapidly repairing him… my thoughts stopped, as I noticed something strange.

  “Little princess would notice, Grulgor knew.” He ughed, massive teeth grinding. “Yes, Grul has do!”

  My Eye picked up a haze e around him, and he frowned, water spshing, and the pace of his regeion increased, even some of his old scars and wounds that had regeed improperly beginning to break down, e mist rising.

  “Wait, water healing?” Selensha said, stunned, and I nodded.

  “Well, it seems like Grulgor has-has defeated you, sister-in-w. Rather shameful. I do expect you to try much-much harder.” I teased her, smirking at her chagrin. Anna was looking at him, her eyes cold, and I shrugged, amused. “So, how-how did you succeed? You look quite the fright still.”

  “Grulgor brute-forced it. Grul is still not too smart. Grulgor tried with the little twin girls and it helped a little, but…”

  “Ah yes, none amongst them has-has mastered the water yet. An ht.” I sniffed. “So, you just destroyed your body with failures, and fought until you finally-finally succeeded? A very Grulgor way to do it. Well, gratutions. Akio will be most-most pleased. I know I surely am.”

  “Grul wanted you to know. Now Duke Formor will have no choice but to send more and more trolls and giants for training here. Grulgor thinks that will make us safer, no foolish foe would try and crush so many powerful Fae.”

  “Well, you are quite-quite the sly tacti.” I ughed, approving. “Our training should e at a modest-modest cost. We will use the forces we receive as bour. Now, I think you should rest-rest and heal. You will scare the mortals looking like that.”

  Grulghed and agreed, walking out, mostly healed, earth and water element boiling within him. I turo my surprised sister and smiled. “See, Anna, my point, it is surely-surely made. If even Grulgor master it, how you and brother Shaeraggo, and you my dear sister in-w, not-not? But I am not-not cruel. Selensha, you do what Grulgor did with your healing, but I do not-not like seeing you hurting. We will find the twins. I know wind well indeed-indeed. As for you, my sister…”

  “I shall not be left behind, fall away!” she decred, resolute. “If the brute master water, surely I - too. I would prefer fme, to match Taisha better, but…”

  “Yes, we ck fme element, so you would need-o use our stocks in batteries. It is not-not easy, only those with great intellect such as Ixitt would succeed that way. Well, fret not-not my dear sister. After all, I have mastered wind, fme, water ah. You - too!”

  Yes, the twins will be happy to help sister Anna and Selensha. Perhaps I shall drag my foolish brother along too, for he is also floundering, I do believe… Well satisfied, I ehe diversion this was bringing me, already starting to miss Akio. Well, he will return soon, and then we advance our pns…

  ********

  “Most excellent. These are quite-quite perfect.” I said happily, iing the saplings pnted by the pntkin Primal Forest had sent us. “Now, I would be most-most grateful if wood element could be used to grow them to maturity. These are not-not sacred Rhyming Trees, it should be possible, no?”

  A, the head of these pntkin, who I was acquainted with thanks to the Ring Gate pair we had secured for Kyoto, frow me, her face of woven vines and fronds surprisingly expressive. “That seems a waste of energy. These trees are healthy, they will grow into wonderful trees in time.”

  “True. But these trees have another purpose. Yes, they are quite-quite healthy, but I wish for them to bear fruit soon and often. I am not-not expeg your brethren to exhaust themselves for free-free though.” I paused, allowio hang on my every word. “No, for those who aid me, I shall-shall offer priority passes to the Spring, to soak their roots in the sacred Spring of Clear Refles. Have you not-not seen it? It is refilling very nicely, and the water shines so prettily, full-full of delightful…”

  A gulped. “Fine. I shall sider it, as will some of my other kin. So, the nds around the Spring, they are not as before…”

  “Of course not-not. I promised Primal Forest better than before, if he aided and supported me.” I puffed out my chest, adopting a regal pose. “The flows-flows of earth and water element the Spring was famous for are beginning to return. It is a shame-shame no Rhyming Trees have sprouted, but it is clearly too-too much to ask after the many hundreds of years of Myid filth iing the pce. It was enough of a miracle Asha survived.” Well, one day wheree Asha dwells in bears seeds, perhaps we reforest… but Rhyming Trees fruit so rarely…

  “Yes, her Tree and the other, I weep to see them healthy. It is a deed that has endeared you to Primal Forest.” A agreed.

  “Excellent. I too have great respect for Primal Forest and all-all he has achieved over the millennia. Well, you see, these-these trees are bearing many delightful fruits. We also have vineyards, fields full of vegetables and more, plus of course trees bearing nuts, and many-many flowers, for both beauty and their ars and saps-saps.” I paused. “Of course, ordinary trees, oak, ash, elm, yew… trees the Fae dearly-dearly love, they too have been pnted, as home to wildlife and many pixies, sprites and more, as well as…” I grihinking of the success that had just happened. “…well, I want good harvests. Bountiful harvests.”

  “The flowers do bloom beautifully.” A admitted, remembering a field of Fae roses she had sowly. “The Spring will be beautiful.”

  “That it will. And funal too-too.” One more reason for the rger oak arees was that terraces could be erected simir to Asha’s tree, for cafés, bars, viewing ptforms and more. The Spring will be a wonder of erd beauty, and a fitting moo me. And the produce, all the alcohol and drinks and more we make will flow, to the Seelie Court, the Night Parade, and anyone else who wishes to trade. Wealth es our way, as well as support. And luxury fit for a princess such as me of course.

  “Princess, are you well?” A said as I had stopped speaking, and I coughed, embarrassed.

  “Yes, I was lost-lost in thought. Well, I must be going. If you - spread my offer, any who aid in the fortifying of the orchards and fields will be most-most handsomely rewarded.”

  As A departed, I headed for my destination, in the shadow of the hill that crested the Spring. Soon I could see several rge trees, between which hung a rge hive, a number of shimmering Mirror Bees busily strug further fortifications. On seeihe scouts buzzed over happily.

  “I see all is well, is the Queen here?” I asked, and soon she buzzed out. It was not the Queen in Akio’s Territory, but sihe Hive had joined us, it had been allowed to expand, all natural enemies gone, and a new Queen had been birthed. Such was a difficult situation, for new often peted with old, but I had the solution, and offered the Spring and its abundance of ars, pollens and saps as a bounty. For fair exge of course.

  The Queen buzzed at me, not using words, but I uood well enough.

  Yes, great ruler. I am well. The Hive is building apace. My workers are spawhough perhaps we require more soldiers? I worry.

  “No need. None-none shall harm you in my domain.” I promised. “I stake my reputation upon it. No, tio spawn more workers, keep only the bare-bare minimum of soldiers and drones for your needs. Harvest the ars, grow-grow strong, and bring forth honey, jelly and sugars for us.”

  I shall. I am grateful I do not have to share nd with my mother, it would be troubling. I have no wish to fight her hive. Here we be free to grow.

  I tio talk for a while, establishing our pns. Wooden barrels had bee up for filling, and I hoped, with the Spring so full of flowers and the bees able te without worry, spawning workers en-masse, to be able to produ an industrial scale. After this, I must see the pixies that have moved into the south. Faerie dew and Faerie ar are also worth their weight in preetals, so with them what wonders we coct…? Rubbing my hands together I resisted the urge to cackle happily. Soon, the true bes of the Spring would start unfolding for us, and I could hardly wait…

  ********

  After leaving the Spring I was called to Kyoto, through the Ring Gate. Ixitt was with me, as were my maids, Klena and Velna, who both looked rather intimidated by uests, who met us in the shadow of Kiyomizu-dera, just outside the sacred grounds. Close by where we fought before. Apt.

  “So, what have you doo Kyoto?” Red, the massive crimson Oni said, taking a swig from his huge cy gourd. “Looks like most of it is under a new trol. Could be seen as a hostile act, I’d say.”

  “Ya, if we wao bust on in, kick down this feeble barrier, ya think we couldn’t?” Blue snorted.

  “Now you two…” the third guest said nguidly, her four bushy tails twitg, as the beautiful kitsune womaured with her enamelled pipe, thin trails of blue smoke rising from it. “…the defences always allow us through, and we have no trouble Parading, if we so wish.”

  “That is correct.” I said, a little disappointed, my gaze searg, and the blue Oni shrugged.

  “Urakaze, she didn’t e, ya see she thought it’d be a bit awkward, if she ran into her old fme or one of ya ki? Well, she be a funny ohat Kamaitachi.”

  “I see. Well, do tell my mother I am thinking of her, and that she - safely visit.” I said at st. “As for the Territory, I dare-dare say Lady Bintara has told you about what happened.”

  “Yes, such a shame.” The foxwoman licked her lips and the stem of her pipe vulgarly. Ixitt was sniggering at the dispy, but I had no care for it. “Mortals fighting bes naught but them, and many things of ours are destroyed in the meantime. Rather frustrating. But I hear your husband is well, little daughter of Urakaze.”

  I do not like this fox, not at all. “Akio was triumphant. I myself slew several. And I do not-not care for your tone.” Lightning crackled, and the fox eyed me curiously.

  “I see. Yes, the lightning. Hoicious. Well, don’t mind me…!” she yawned, stretg, her massive chest boung, barely tained within her patterned kimono. Yes, I do not like her at all. “I am only here to mediate the trade. I have a thirst for somethiic.” She licked her lips. “Perhaps mortal.”

  “Well, I hope soon-soon to be able to satisfy that in a way we both enjoy.” I warned, not missing her implications. “Mortal alcohol, brought to the Boundary. I believe it to be quite-quite possible. But for now… make do with the treasures I have-have brought.”

  Wesealkin and ratkin unloaded a number of heavy barrels and a few smaller ones, and Red looked rapturous. “That smells good, don’t you think, Blue? Worth ing all the way back to Kyoto for.”

  “What ya got here for us, little daughter of Urakaze? I got a raging thirst for something good, ya know.” Blue licked her lips.

  “Well, the rger barrels are Fae wine and mead, just as before.” I received some from father as a gift. I do enjoy drinking them with Akio and the others, but right now I would rather have the Etherites. A shame, but when our full produ at the Spring is in full swing, such temporary sacrifices will be fotten.

  “As for the smaller-smaller barrels…” I paused meaningfully. “They are sample products. Unique. sider it the first trial run-run of a blend of Fae ingredients and mortal teiques. So you ot-not ever sample this elsewhere. Fae sake, Fae Whiskey and Fae Shochu.” I gri the way Red’s face turned expressionless, to hide his eagerness, and Blue gulped, her throat w. Even that fox’s tails are wagging.

  “Well, I guess we ’t be too pissed at y to protect Kyoto against fn mortal trash.” Red allowed graciously.

  “Ya, since we roam freely, it’s no big deal, ya get it?” Blue agreed, sweating, eyes on the barrels, nostrils twitg.

  “Haru, the mistress of this Territory, under Akio, my dear-dear husband, she has graciously allowed the Night Parade to pass. All she asks is that-that you cause no trouble, and do not-not damage the new strus or kill her people. I do not-not see this as an issue. We stick mostly to shrine grounds.” I poio the Spires in Kiyomizu-dera. “We both wish this tinuing trade to go well-well, do we not-not?”

  “Ya, the Hyakki Yagyō is always thirsty.” Blue agreed, speaking for them all, and I hid a grin behind my hand.

  “Well, the us talk-talk trade.” I suggested, and soon sparkliherites were arrayed before us, Ixitt looking on happily. The deal was soon swiftly cluded, and Red and Blue loaded up the barrels on their massive, broad shoulders.

  “Pleasure to do business with you. If you ever get bored of pying around, well, you are seventy-first.”

  “Ya, you join the Parade anytime. The Kijo might pin, but might makes right, ya know. And most of the ohat hate ya all are already dead and gone.” Blue agreed.

  “I thank you for the offer, and I do rather miss-miss my mother, but… for now, I shall remain here, with Akio and my friends, and my new domain. Of which I t Kyoto part-part. So just be warned…” I repeated, and the foxwoman blew smoke, grinning.

  “Threats are so unbeing of such a cute little thing. We have no wish for violence or bloodshed. After all, Lord Nurarihyon has on cause with you for now. The one who aid him against his fated enemy is in your camp, no?”

  Shiro, or the dreadful being inside her. How she does not go mad with such a presence dwelling within I do not know, but I respect her deeply for her strength of mind. “Indeed. And she will offer her aid only if Akio agrees. Bear that in mind.”

  “Enough fpping ya lips. We get it. Until ime.” Blue said, and with that the powerful Yokai departed with their prizes, finally allowio release my tension, sweat dripping from ched fists.

  “Mistress, are you well?” Velna asked, and I sighed.

  “Yes, just… fag the three of them alone, I would not-not be able to win. One, perhaps, though there are ainties, but three? No. Well, Ixitt, you have-have your prizes. How then will you use them?”

  He grinned. “More Artificial Ether Spires. If the calm ends as I suspect, it will put further pressure on the Boundary here in Kyoto. We need all the l of the ether density we get.” He frowhoughtful. “I suspect soon this area would colpse, the lower Astral merging here, and then the Boundary would begin to unravel entirely. Then the lower Astral itself might even start to bee uable. The mortal engineer in me would love to see what would happen, but… no, we should dey as long as possible. So, more Spires.” He ughed then. “The side effect is, it will make Akio a signifit sum of ether, so it is, as he would say, a win-win.”

  “I agree.” I nodded. “Well, we have-have stripped the Hyakki Yagyō of more treasures. Now… we search-search outside of Kyoto, Akio’s Territory and the Spring for more Etherites, as well as the o… and if I extraore from the Seelie Court…” my mind worked, pnning, and I found my thoughts turning idly to what Akio would be doing now. In the mortal realm, it should be nearly time for him to meet this other Princess. I do wonder how it will go…

  ShipTeaser