Angelic Layer Fan Fiction ❯ Sweet Hush ❯ Liberation ( Chapter 4 )

Sweet Hush

By: Haruka-chan

AN: I know I took a long time to come up with this but here it is. I hope you enjoy it and know that I do not own at of the anime/manga which I write fan-fiction for they are all owned by their own respected owners. Here is a long chapter and expect more to come! Enjoy!

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Liberation...Chapter 4

Oujirou sat and watched from his window as she and Hikaru walked the gardens. There was just something about her that drew him to her. Her smile that reminded him of someone who he held dear to his heart and her beauty of the rose that sat in a vase just a few feet away.

"Princess Misaki"

"Beautiful isn't she master?"

The Prince turned from the window to his trusted advisor and general. It is true that they had secrets but no one kept them better then Wizard and Hikaru and there is always a reason behind something so willing.

"Wizard"

"Has my master forgotten why she was brought here?"

"I know why she is here and so far everything is going as we planed it. She will know nothing of it, she is learning and she has potential"

"How long do you intend on keeping her here?"

"As long as it takes for her to grow wings"

"You have taken a liking to her, is that something good?"

"I always seem to think Wizard that when you look at Hikaru from the corner of your eyes that is a good thing what do you think?" Oujirou smiled when he saw his flustered general. "I do trust you and I trust your judgment, I just wish this wasn't done to her, I'm afraid that she will hate me after she has unveiled the secrets which lark in this palace."

"I don't think she is capable of hating master, she is delicate as a flower she will never harm anyone"

"Don't forget Wizard there are flowers which bite."

***

Misaki walked into her bed room followed by Hikaru and some other maid to fix her bath. What turned out to be a nightmare is actually starting to look up and suddenly she felt as if they saved her from making a or more like following a rash decision. Yes she loved Kotaru but never that way and now more then ever she felt she could never love him as a husband. One Tamayo loved him and two she never felt the way she does with this prince as with Kotaru. She blushed what about him that set him aside from the others. But with that came the recognition she may not see her wonderful grandparents for a while.

"Oh Grandfather...I hope you take your medicine on time, and Grandmother I hope you don't feel too lonely knitting" said Misaki quietly.

"I'm sure they will be fine" said Hikaru pulling the strings that held her gown up.

Misaki shivered lightly at the sudden loss of clothing, she dipped her feet into the water and smiled at the warmth, before completely pushing herself in.

"I know they will be all right it's just that I suppose I need them more then they need me" she said.

"We all need something that will hold us together, someone who love and depend upon but we don't realize that they also depend on us as well, they make and build us into the people we are" said Hikaru.

Misaki blushed lightly and nodded, "Your right there is a god shaped hole in all of us."

"May I ask why you don't speak of your father or mother?" asked Hikaru.

Misaki looked troubled, what was she going to say? She herself didn't have an answer for that question and how could she answer someone else? Misaki closed her eyes and just listened to the music of her grandmother's voice signing.

"My mother and father...I don't even know who they are, I know my father passed away even before I was born, and my mother...I don't know anything about her except that maybe she is alive somewhere in this great big world" said Misaki.

Hikaru gave her an "I'm sorry look" before getting the towel for her to dry off with.

Kotaru looked back at the two young woman and his younger sister sitting on horses behind him. Why he agreed to let Hatoko and Tamayo come along was beyond him. But all he wanted more then ever was to bring Misaki to safety and pledge his love to her forever. He always loved Misaki her small and graceful being, she was what a one would call a perfect princess, she was good at homely things such as cooking and making everyone feel happy, she was the radiant sun, and to him she was very much everything, and he was going to kill the son of a bitch who took her from him.

Tamayo watched the back of his head, she could feel him tense, and he was probably thinking of Misaki again. She griped the straddles tighter. Why couldn't he see her? Why did everyone see Misaki? She didn't mean to be jealous of the little princess but she just couldn't be who Misaki was, she could sit at one place for hours and not say anything unless she was asked something. She couldn't walk softly and she couldn't cook or sing the birds to sleep, she didn't know how to take care of a garden, she didn't do anything remotely close to what Misaki did!

Hatoko looked from Tamayo to her brother, both so deep in their own self indulgence that they didn't realize what sort of kingdom Misaki was taken to. She how ever did her homework and knew the prince or now king of the kingdom quite well. He was a brilliant fighter and quite handsome many young princesses would die to be kidnapped by him, but she was sure Misaki wasn't that sort of person but she would hardly be surprised if she fell in love with him. She was quite puzzled as to why kidnap Misaki of all people, she also knew that Misaki's mother was taken just the same way by the kingdom of the west. What did these family have tying their fates together? Hatoko sighed and rubbed her temples. She knew very well that her brother had no chance of winning Misaki's heart now.

"Lady Hatoko is something troubling you?" asked the woman beside her.

Hatoko smiled at her trusted companion "I'm all right just worried about Misaki."

"I have a feeling that perhaps Lady Misaki was taken there for a reason concerning the battle dolls."

"That could be possible but I trust Misaki to take care of herself" said Hatoko.

"She might be the next deus. I have just found the news that Hikaru was woken just few nights before lady Misaki's abduction. It seems that they are linked some how."

"Sazuka you mean to tell me that Misaki is going to be used to completely revive Hikaru and then used in battle?" asked Hatoko.

"That is possible my lady."

"This is no good...we must hurry" Hatoko said softly.

Misaki dressed and was on her way to meet the prince for lunch. She blushed when ever she thought of him, she didn't know what it was about him that made her feel as if she was mothering thousands of butterflies in her belly, she never had feelings like these before, her heart jumped at his smiles and she was so aware around him, almost as if she did something slightly wrong he would look down on her. It was different from what she felt for Kotaru. She shook of the feeling and followed Hikaru to the dinning hall. She smiled when she saw him and bowed slightly. He stood and pulled out her chair.

"Good afternoon" she said.

"And a good afternoon to you I hope you enjoyed your tour of the palace" he said sitting back down.

"Yes it's very beautiful" she said looking down at her plate.

"Why do you hide my Lady?" he asked.

She looked up almost instantly she looked at with him almost disbelief, he saw right through her. Back at her grandparents' no one ever paid mind to her they though she was shy and respectful…but in truth she was hiding from their disapproval, from facing that she was so much smaller from the world which she lived on. She never wanted to disappoint anyone, she always felt she depended on one person or the other.

"I do not hide…I'm…" she couldn't lie nor could she tell him the truth, then he'll think she was nothing but clay that people mold into what ever they want.

She gasped when she felt his hand on hers holding in his hands, with care. She looked at him, his eyes were different from the one she saw on him since she has arrived to his palace. No it was different this time he seemed lost and established at the same time. He smiled at her his lips curling and forming that charming smile which made her heart jump.

"Hiding hardly does anything, and you should be the last person who should hide you are beautiful as your…much beloved garden" he said almost losing himself in his words, but she reminded him so much of her, and why not that was her mother after all, the woman who he adored since he was a child. But the young woman sitting in front of him was just as the woman he loved maybe even more beautiful and a heart that was so open that it shined through her without her realization.

"Thank you…but I'm not the most strongest person" she said sadly looking down once more.

"Neither am I" he said honestly.

"I am grateful that you're being considerate of me but I know you're very strong I can feel it" she said and blushed instantly.

He laughed at her childish manners, she bought a smile to a face a real smile. He took her hand and bought it to his lips, kissing the palm of her hand. "I thank you my Lady" he whispered.

She blushed head to toe, she wanted to make him smile that way always, and she felt happy and excited within just by his nearness. "No thank you for making me smile for the first time" she said.

***

Hikaru smiled from afar. She looked to her right and found Wizard smiling too.

"Who knew you were such a sensitive guy" she said folding her arms over her chest.

"Who knew you were such a sensitive girl" he said.

She glared at him, as he displayed his infamous smile of victory.

"You won't always win"

"I know but if I should loose it will only be to you"

"How thought full of you to choose me"

"I choose you because you are worthy and now you have a chance to prove it with your mistress here"

"I don't want to use her"

"WE don't intend to use her just show her the way to what she lost."

"Is this prince Oujirou's joke to replace the woman he can't have?"

"How could you ask that?!

"Because I'm entitled to my opinion and so far neither he or you have been honest with me!"

Next thing she knew she was up against the wall trapped between it and Wizard's body.

"I have always been honest with you but you know just as I do that I am entitled to my master…I would never hurt you or deceive you in any way."

He was so close to her, he was so wonderfully near that she felt her heart jump, she wanted to throw her arms around him and profess her love for him, but how could see? He obviously didn't love her but his master, and there wasn't anything she could do, but not having a master of her own she didn't know much about what bond the two shared. She looked away from his eyes, it always made her upset to see them and know that they weren't for her.

"Release me"

"Why do you always run from me?"

"I do not run! I do naught understand you at all that is why I do naught confuse myself with you"

"On the contrary you understand me the most, you and I share something that no one else does"

"I share nothing with you that other 'Dolls' do naught have and I'm sure I'm no match for your master"

"You're being bitter, let me see you smile"

"I am naught!"

He smiled as he pulled out a white rose and tucked it behind her hair, letting his hand come down her face slowly, caressing her cheek the way he desired and did so in his dreams.

"You look so beautiful with a flower next to you, yet it pales compared to your beauty"

"Wizard…"

"I want to see you smile my light" he said to her softly.

She blushed *I'm his light?* no of course not, she knew better then let her heart come alive with want and need, when she knew they would not be fulfilled.

"Please I must serve the Lord and Lady"

"Very well you have duties and I have mine" he said taking her hand kissing it gently before going his way.

She stood almost breathless she didn't realize she was holding her breath, wishing-no praying that what he said was just meant for her, that she indeed was the one he sought in his darkest hours.

Kotaru watched the fire as it danced on. He suddenly had this fear that Misaki won't be his Misaki anymore. He acquired information on the abductor, and he was surprised to discover that the so called king was no more then 3 years older then him, he was handsome and a prize among queens and princesses. What if like those princesses Misaki fell in love with him? She was so innocent and believing he just hoped that bastard didn't take advantage of her.

Tamayo smiled at him as he set by the fire, they had camped for the night it wasn't really his idea but Hatoko was still young and quite fragile to illnesses then Kotaru and herself. She walked up next to him and took a seat.

"You still thinking about Misaki-chi aren't you?"

"There isn't anything in my head and heart but her, I could hardly sleep at night thinking about how she is"

"I see that you have fallen boyishly in love"

"I have I never though I love anyone as much as I love her"

"Is she that desirable?"

"She can drive a man crazy just by glancing at him, I just hope that bastard doesn't do anything to her"

"Are you afraid that she will fall in love with him?"

"No of course not! Misaki is honest and trusting, but she will never do such a thing"

"Even if she didn't love you?"

"She loves me, I know she does, and she said so herself when I was visiting her a while back, that is why I took the initiative and proposed to her, I wanted her by my side always"

"I see…I just hope that Misaki-chi is alright she is after all quite fragile and almost incapable of taking care of herself"

"I hope so too for the sake of our future"

"Kotaru if god forbid of course you lose Misaki-chi will you even marry again?"

"No…I will not lose her, but if I happen to I will not marry or love again I shall give my life to god before I confess that I love another woman other then Misaki."

"Of course, I'm glad to hear that" she said holding and pushing her tears back.

"Where is Hatoko?"

"Practicing with Sazuka"

"I don't want her to know but I'm actually glad that she came along, I could use all the help I can get I don't care about pride just getting back my fiancé."

***

Hatoko sat under a tree with Sazuka next to her. She needed to get away from all the emotions she felt coming from her brother and Tamayo. It was obvious that Tamayo was helplessly in love with her brother all while her brother was blindly in love with Misaki who she adored and loved but she also didn't mention to her headstrong brother that she had met the prince that was accused of abducting Misaki and if indeed he was her abductor then he was most likely to become her lover, for to Misaki it must be a relief not to marry her brother.

"I see that things will get very interesting from here on"

"What do you mean Lady Hatoko"

"It's all very funny how blind each of them are unable to see the truth which will unfold so depressingly slowly." She giggled.

"I'm not sure what you mean"

"It's the human heart Sazuka, human hearts are quite complicated, but it is really their heads and mental instability that make them so lost and confound with the truth."

"I suppose then I should feel lucky I cannot fall in love"

"That isn't true…dolls were created in a way that they are humans but machine controlled by the brain waves of a human…that doesn't mean that you can't fall in love you have emotions just like us so do naught worry you shall find a wonderful prince one of these days"

"Thank you Lady Hatoko but I only wish to stay by your side"

"Yes I would like that very much"

It was these quite time with her mistress that she cherished more then anything of course with that always came questions of what will happen in the future but she is content with what she had now. Her mistress was still young and she still had time to worry about her falling in love with someone who does not deserve her. Just content with her at her side.

Misaki strolled the ground with Oujirou at her side. He had said that he wanted to show her something, and now they were nearing the end of the hill on which they were walking upon. She looked at him and wondered what it would be. He looked at her and smiled as he took her hand and led her to the edge.

"This is the great secret of our kingdom"

"Secret?"

"Yes, the Dolls."

"Dolls?"

"You see my brother invented the dolls or angles system sometime ago, at that time of the great war that was taking place between our kingdoms, but he also build one for your kingdom so the fight will be fair, but at the process of coming up with a way to be the victor of the war he met a woman from your kingdom who seemed eager to help with the production of the angels. She had a very strong brain wave which moved the angles; of course it was forbidden but together they over came all ridicule and made the children what we now call angels; battle dolls that are designed to fight with each other in competitions."

"Angels?" she asked as she looked down into the bottom of the hill where it seemed two humans were battling. "They don't seem like dolls, they are humans."

"Yes they are made just like humans but they are controlled by humans."

"Controlled by humans?"

"Brain waves that are given of their human masters to control then as they please"

"That is wrong isn't it? They go against god's principals…and how could you control something that looks so much like you?" she asked tears brimming at the corner of her eyes.

He knew instantly that it was mistake to bring her this soon, she was still very naive to the idea of what power felt like. He reached for her but she stepped away from him. He almost felt hurt at her actions, her fear that he might harm her in some way when he was very much incapable of such an act.

"Lady Misaki…"

"No I can naught stand to see this, there is no difference such trivial thing as dolls and humans, they are alive are they not? How could you use something that is so alive?"

"I am not the only one who uses it you are at fault too! You yourself have a doll who is controlled by you" he said angered at her misunderstanding of him.

"What?"

"Forgive me-"

"What is it that you mean?"

"My lord means me, I am your battle angel Lady Misaki" said Hikaru stepping out from the darkness.

"Hikaru" Oujirou said as he looked at her, his trusted general just a few feet from her.

"But how could you I be your? No! I refuse to believe such a thing!" she exclaimed.

Her heart was breaking at what she was hearing, her fairy tale was falling apart with in a day. Why were they telling her this is that why she was brought here to become the mistress of a doll?

"Lady Misaki"

"Is that it? You wanted to use me to help you win battles? I thought for a second that you saved me but…" her eyes brimmed with tears. She felt so betrayed but then again what was she thinking when she thought she could trust them after all they did kidnap her and bring her to a strange place. She looked towards where Oujirou stood looking down unable to look at her at that moment she understood that she was over reacting.

"I'm sorry but I can do nothing for you" she said.

"You can do more then you think, your thoughts are my life" said Hikaru placing a hand over her chest.

"My faith in god and the church that I belong to won't let be do such a thing" said Misaki looking straight at Oujirou, she felt empowered she felt as if she had to defend herself.

"Then let me change that, study them and see how they are not against god's will, nothing can be against god's will as long as you are faithful to him" said Oujirou. "God does not abandon anyone for belief in something other then him."

Misaki listened as he spoke, what power did this man have over her that she felt like listening to him. She wiped the tears away the handkerchief that she always carried with her, in the pocket of her gown. She nodded simply she knew that she couldn't completely trust them, suddenly it hit her that she has finally entered the real world and that with what she learned here she could finally ask questions regarding her mother, find a better self, and be strong and take charge on her own.

He approached her softly standing before her almost feeling insecure at what she might think of him or what she might think of him now with some of his intention out in the open.

"Trust me" he said simply.

"I will leave that to time" she said boldly for the first time.

He nodded as he pointed towards the palace, tonight she shall learn the making of dolls. He wanted to keep her around long enough for her to choose to stay and meet the mint of her life. He wanted to see her free and if that meant her not trusting him then it was fine with him.

*To love is to hate and mistrust* he thought. *I shall never understanding why I am doing this but perhaps I have already fallen in love with a woman who I have just met*

Misaki knew what she wanted abruptly. She knew that she wanted to know more, her heart didn't let her head confuse her to a point where she felt trapped, instead she felt wonderfully certain of herself and her actions for the first time. She felt liberated…

***

Hikaru and Wizard watched on, Hikaru on some level felt as if she was just rejected, and she was feeling the emotions of her mistress, mistrust, betrayal, and so much hurt. She felt disgusted with herself for making her feeling that way. She unexpectedly understood what it was that Wizard and Oujirou shared; feelings and emotions. Where those his master's feelings then back at noontime when he told her those wonderful nothing. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she turned to face him.

"Do naught distress she will understand with time, she is still quite naïve."

"It isn't that at all, she just wants to be herself without feeling that she is disrespecting others"

"So you tapped into her nerve waves I see"

"I didn't mean too but when she realized what she was really here for something snapped within me that told be the betrayal she felt. She's running away from her duties, her fiancé a man who she felt was her close friend from childhood but felt nothing for him more or less then brotherly love. And the affect of Prince Oujirou's company…I feel it all."

"What do you feel about that?"

"I feel as if I know what she is departing through, my heart is pounding for her"

"Hikaru" he said softly pulling to him, he didn't want her to drift away. He understood much of his emotions that were coming from within were not his own but his affection for the woman in his arms where completely his own. He felt as if he could do anything when she stood next to him, glaring or smiling when no soul noticed. She was remarkably beautiful and charming his heart each passing moment. His master had told him that he was called Wizard for the purpose that when he, his master was young he always wanted to be strong and hold magic powers, he wanted to use that power to make people stop hurting, but he lost sight of what he really wanted when his heart shut of to the world from anger, jealousy, and loneliness.

"Why do I feel as if my heart will leap out any second?"

"Because your finally awake and the world is waiting for you"

"Is that so?"

"Yes, but you will never be alone. I will always be at your side"

"Promise?"

"I do"

"Good"

"He is incompetent!" said the man slamming his hands down on the table. "I can naught believe that he dared to kidnap her! What was he thinking? Was he even thinking? God what am I to do now?"

"What is the matter you're highness?"

"I want a you to prepare for my trip to Fahren, I think its time I visited that brother of mine" he said pushing his spectacles higher on his nose.

"Yes your majesty I will prepare at once!"

"Yes or you will be given the ultimate penalty"

"I'm already on my wayyyy!"

*What in the hell are you planning, I know you haven't forgiven me but why have you bought the innocent girl into all of this?*

***********

TBC