Guardians of the Prince

Once upon a time in a far away land, lived a beautiful young woman.

Her father treated her mother badly and then disappeared one day, and so the girl ended up living alone with her mother. Even so, her mother was gentle and kind, and the girl was happy to live with her.

But suddenly one day, her mother disappeared as well.

As the girl searched for her, a single large bird appeared. It was a very beautiful bird, with a shape like the white heat haze of the sun.

That bird was carrying a letter. It was from the girl’s mother.

Her mother had been caught up in something unavoidable, and had been taken to a far away country, where there was a job she had to do. The bird had come all the way from the country where her mother now lived.

The loneliness of not having her beloved mother with her was such that it couldn’t be buried and ignored. But the girl spent her days being consoled by the kindness of her relatives and the letters from her mother.

In particular, the pure white bird that carried her mother’s letters from that far off land became a good friend to the girl, someone who always listened. She told him everything, and they even occasionally ate meals together, or fell asleep together.

Months and years passed, and the girl turned sixteen.

That night her relatives threw her a party, and the white bird brought a letter, like always. She was overjoyed and fell asleep reading the letter, the white bird beside her.

That night, the girl had a dream. In an empty space, overflowing with light, she was standing stark naked. That pure white bird floated in mid-air in front of her.

A voice echoed from somewhere.

“Daughter. I have been waiting until you grew older.”

The light got stronger, and the white bird lost his shape, like he was melting into the light. It was dazzling and she shut her eyes, unable to keep them open. She felt like her body was being enveloped in a whirlpool of warm light…

Suddenly she realized she was standing on her floor, alone. For a moment she wondered if it had all been a mirage, just a dream after all, but something rose up from deep in her throat, and she turned her head to the floor.

A white ball about the size of the tip of her thumb plopped down into her palm. It wasn’t a full sphere, it looked sort of like an egg.

The white bird, beside her, gently put his forehead against her.

“This egg, born in the space between you and I, is something that will connect our worlds, mine and yours.”

It was the same voice she’d heard before.

“Entrust it to the woman connected to you by blood, the one who is still in this world.”

The girl was overcome with surprise, but she took the white bird along to meet her aunt, her mother’s younger sister.

Her aunt listened to the story, and without responding, slowly took the small egg and put it in her mouth. There was a gulping noise.

The egg then lived in the body of the girl’s aunt.

A strong light shone from the white bird once more.

“When you wish to return to this world, this will become your support.”

When the girl heard that, she grinned at her aunt, and spoke.

–Thank you. I have to go.

The girl’s aunt told her to stay safe, before the white bird and the girl both melted into the light, their forms disappearing.

Finally, one day after the moon had waxed and waned many times, the white bird appeared, carrying a letter addressed to the girl’s aunt.

The letter was from the daughter. It described how she was living happily with her mother.

Her aunt was delighted, and entrusted a letter of her own to the white bird.

In that letter was a picture of the aunt and her husband, and their newborn baby.

[Beautiful daughter and white bird – end]