• She walked up to the store and hesitated before entering. From what she could see from the windows, it was a lot more successful than when she first came to the store. Double-checking that the sign said the store was open, she enters and looks around. “Can I help you?” She jumps at the voice and looks over at the girl working the cashier.

    “Uh, yes, I’m here to see Hiro.” Her eyes drag away and look around the bookstore. A major upgrade from a one-room shop with junk scattered everywhere.

    “He has company in his main office. He shall see you in a few moments in his second office. This way please.” The cashier beckons down a hallway. She follows the cashier to a door at the end of the hallway. The cashier opens the door and steps aside. She enters nodding at the cashier on the way in. The cashier begins to close the door and sees Hiro within. “Oh! Sir! I thought you were busy in your main office.”

    “I am. You very well know that I am in both offices at the same time.” He waves the cashier off and the girl looks around. It was the original one room shop she had come to on her first visit. “Chi! Just in time. The tea is just finishing.” He turns around and grabs the teapot off the stove and sets it on the table. “Come, sit.”

    She sits and takes a sip of the tea he gave her. “I didn’t think you’d remember me.”

    “Are you kidding? You were my first real client. Even an old man doesn’t forget his first customer.” He takes a sip of the tea and adds some sugar. “Sugar? Cream?”

    “No thank you.” She takes another sip of the tea.

    “So, what brings you back to my homely store?”

    “I’ve decided to go back.”

    “Back?” He raises an eyebrow as he takes a sip.

    “Back home.”

    Hiro chokes on his tea. “To the Arctic?”

    “Yes. Surely you hear the talk around town. Rumor has it that something is terrorizing fox demons in the Arctic. Several clans have already been destroyed.”

    “Did you forget that they ran you out of the Arctic? They don’t want you there.”

    “Whether they want me around or not, I am still their princess. And they are still my people.” She finishes the cup of tea and sets it on the table. She stands up. “I thought you would like to know, since I told you my story.” She turns and opens the door.

    “Now I know that I can’t make you stay, but where’s your heart? With your people that ran you out of the village or with the people here who accept you, regardless of your mixed blood? I know there’s nothing I can say to change that part. Now, do you still go?” She hesitates at his words, but walks through the door and closes it behind her. Hiro stares at the door for a few moments. “I hope she returns. This will be a most intriguing story.”

    Several months later Chi arrives at the cave where she took refuge from the angry villagers. She enters the cave and looks down at the spot she cowered for three days. She thinks back, nearly lost in her memory. The sound of approaching footsteps snaps her out of it. She ducks behind a stalagmite. A familiar stench approaches her nostrils. She knew who it was before she saw him. The man sits down on the cave floor, licking blood off his hands.

    She silently grabs her ice whip and catches the man around the throat. He jumps up and vanishes. The whip falls to the floor and the man appears in front of her stepping on the whip thus making it useless. He chuckles at Chi trying to pull the whip from under his foot. “Well what do we have here? Who would try to interrupt my massacre of fox demons?” He looks at her intently. “Pity I must kill you. You are a pretty one.” He reaches out to touch her cheek. She instantly slices off his hand with one of her double blades. He recoils, clutching his bloody stump. “Who are you?!” He lunges at her. She prepares to protect herself but an arrow appears impaled in the man’s heart.

    He looks at Chi in the eyes. “Oh. I know you.” He begins to turn to dust.

    She looks the dying man in the eyes. “Farewell, Father.” The man smiles happily as he turns to dust and collapses at her feet. She momentarily stares at the dust then looks up to see people armed with bows filling up the entrance of the cave. They all nock an arrow and aim at her. One man steps out in front of them, holding up a hand. He approaches Chi and examines her up and down. He turns quickly and nods at some person at the back of the group. The silhouette of the person nods back. The man turns to her and smiles. “Welcome home, Princess.” Chi starts to relax and the moment she does he knocks her out with a rock.

    She awakes in a room with many lights. She closes her eyes, trying to make sense of the voices she hears around her. “Can she speak? I think you hit her a little too hard.”

    “Surely he did not.” A long line of conversation she couldn’t hear.

    “But she is incomplete.” More inaudible words.

    “… would mean she would have a demanding life.”

    “… suitable husband, although he would also demand of her…” She gives up trying to understand and falls back into unconsciousness.

    A few days later she lies on a bed staring up at the lights. Her father had been the one wreaking havoc among the Arctic fox demon clans. She had practically defeated him, an archer doing the fatal blow. If she agreed to stay and get married she would credited with destroying the beastly vampire that was killing off her people. But that would mean getting married to someone she didn’t even know. Or love. She would have maybe considered the offer if the man she was to marry wasn’t the elder who ordered her and her mother’s execution. He had named himself Regent and ruled the kingdom. Very few people agreed with his actions.

    Now that she had returned all of his enemies had favored her. He knew that if he refused to let her rule they would rebel. His best choice was to marry her and that way he could still rule the kingdom. She smiled. He didn’t know she knew this for he thought she was asleep while he explained his plan to his few followers. She sits up and looks at her faded reflection in the hotel mirror. A hotel, he hadn’t trusted her enough to let her stay in the palace. Should she stay and be a weak ruler? She knew they would never truly follow her for she was an “incomplete” fox demon. She would be completely at his mercy and he could do neigh anything he wanted to her.

    A few hours passed and she sat in the room where she knew she would get the offer. The regent had her sit next to him at the decision banquet. He made a toast to the relief of her still being alive. As he sat down he apologized for all he had put her through. The banquet continued on and she ate trying to think of how she should answer. She whispered the one that sounded best. “No. I am not afraid to keep on living. I am not afraid to walk this world alone. Nothing you can say will stop me going home.”

    “What was that, m’lady?” She realized that the hall was quiet, awaiting her answer. She sat there looking at him sitting next to her with words she thought she would never say, awake and unafraid, asleep, or dead. She had always dreamed of one day returning and ruling her birthright kingdom.

    “No. I’m going home.” The hall erupted with confusion.

    “B-but Princess Chi. This is home. You are one of us.”

    “No. I am not one of you. I am not a member this clan. I am a citizen of the town of Vandefell. That is my home.” She stands up and makes her way to the door. Every time someone would stop and try to convince her to stay with her people she would repeat to them the same thing she repeated to herself. “I am not afraid to keep on living, I am not afraid to walk this world alone. Nothing you can say can stop me going home.”

    She finishes her story to Hiro. He stares at her with eyes intent on imagining the story, his tea growing cold. “I thank you, Chi, for telling me this wonderful story. Do you mind if I chronicle it and add it to my collection?”

    She smiles. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” She takes another sip of tea.