Princess among the Rabbits


 * This tale of that woman remembered in history as a diabolical demon... I hope you enjoy this one-shot!

War. An element that has existed even in the times of deities, when their divine arguments led to chaotic battles that would shape and forge the world of mortals. Those mortals, in turn, inherited this way of conflict from their gods and engaged since their conception in bloody wars for a variety of reasons; each side fighting for what they considered their raison d'être. Children from a young age, not even old enough to appreciate the taste of liquor, would be thrust onto the battlefield to die in the name of ideals they were not nearly mature enough to comprehend. Women, those that survived these events, would be forced to live in utter despair at the loss of their husbands and of their dear children... Some even resorting to the methods of ending their deep endless sorrow, while others died civilian deaths during the rampaging enemy armies sweeping through the territory, but then some women, out of the sheer depression and a lack of willing to continue living, would meet their ends even while giving birth to their beloved children. One such women had been dealt this fate, but not before giving birth to the woman that would lead a change in the world...

Born on a beautiful morning in the depths of the spring, with majestic white-haired animals traipsing around in the grassy knolls beside the hut, she had magnificent black hair and empty innocent eyes of pearl. She had the trademark appearance that befitted that of a royal-born princess. However, she was born a silent child. Upon her exit from the womb of her mother, she made not a single sound. Even in her birth, she behaved with elegance, and as she grew up, she was revered and adorned by all in the kingdom. The people looked to her as a symbol of beauty and hope in this troubled world.

She matured into a woman of indescribable allure, with many of the world's suitors traveling a large distance just to request her hand in marriage; all of whom were respective royalty in their own regions. They presented her with lavish gifts, extremities of their riches, and even items of importance from their kingdoms, all of which to win her love. But she refused them time and time again. She simply had no such interest in being betrothed because of her beauty or status... but of her person.

You see, she had lived all her life as a symbol alone. The darling princess, the rising sun of the land... And why? Because she was destined to succeed her father as a ruler. The people would depend on her to lead them in these warring times. But never did anybody see her for the person she truly was. Only her parents were known to address her by name, and even then, only in the rare circumstances that she spent time alone with them. When she became old enough to understand, the realization hit her hard. She was alone. Nobody saw the woman that stood beyond the visage of a princess.

But then eventually came a day where she found such a man that had actually seen her. A soldier in her father's military reserves, he was a peasant around the same age as her and lived with his parents in poverty, forced to join the kingdom's army in order to procure the funds so his family could continue to survive. Even in this life, he stood apart from all others. While calling her princess in the beginning, once he had learned of her beautiful name, he could not resist but to call her as such; even when he was fiercely reprimanded by his superiors for such a callous action. But it wasn't just in this respect. Many in this era thought only about themselves. How to maintain their power, how to keep their lives, how to crush the enemy... But he was different. He spoke of ideals that were considered alien to humanity.

Bonds... and peace.

Happiness and understanding.

Her eyes would widen with amazement during their numerous conversations, where he would tell her of his desire for peace in the world, and with every word he spoke to her, she had grown deeply enamored with the man. Her entire being would radiate joy whenever in his presence. But this was short-lived.

The terrors of war that had never been known on the kingdom's grounds had finally made their existence known. Flames engulfed the huts of the poor as the enemies progressed onward toward the castle in order to seize power. And in an attempt to save her from the carnage, that man too lost his life in the most horrible of ways...

Emptiness returned to her. She lost the one connection she had ever made... and to this disgusting era of war!

Something within her snapped. The beauty that had once filled those pearl eyes had now drowned in an eerie white...

Having now succeeded her father as ruler of the kingdom remains, she had heard tales of a legendary tree that was given birth by the gods themselves. Stories resounded among the peasants and nobles alike regarding the divine tree. And she learned of a fruit that had been born of the tree. The story suggested that this fruit bore the essence of the gods themselves and their divinity. If one were to devour it, perhaps even they could acquire great strength...

Strength great enough to be able to conquer the enemy. To finally conquer all and ensure the disgusting era of war could come to a close.

She made the perilous journey to the mysterious lands of which the tree stood proud. Animals happily frolicked beside the peaceful roots of the tree, including the same rabbits that had encircled her home during her birth. And as she gazed up at the branches, she snatched the ripe fruit, biting into it as a malevolent light overcame her being...

The black hair that she once allowed to flow in the wind with pride... became a bright white as even her clothing became shrouded in the same white.

Her aura erupted like a volcano, burning away the lives of her escorts and even the bystander animals, as her screams from being surrounded in such might began to escalate and fill the valley with ominous feeling. The princess returned to the kingdom, indistinguishable from her original self, as she immediately conjured forth dark clouds in the skies above, her voice thundering out as she ordered her armies to begin making preparations for war.

And so she did. With the immense power she had amassed from the fruit of the gods, her enemies surrendered one by one...

She became their goddess. With power that surpassed human thought, they had no choice but to surrender. And she could finally achieve peace... but through force.

Happiness, in her mind, would soon come to the land.

She had eventually come to learn that she was blessed with children — those of the man she had loved. And the two of them were born healthy. But she came to despise them when they matured and learned that they too had access to the same power she herself possessed. She could not allow this... If others were to gain her power, then the sides would be equal again... War would plague the world again. And she could not allow this to happen.

To gain even greater power... She returned to the tree and absorbed the entirety of the divine plant, to gain the power to enforce her rule and take back the strength she discovered that her children had inherited.

But it ended in failure. Her children fought back hard and managed to seal her away... creating a massive sphere that was launched high into the clouds.

The children of the rabbits killed by the princess on that day she acquired her power looked up into the skies as a bright circle of light appeared in the night skies.

People enslaved by the princess did the same, coming to realize that the demon had finally been vanquished...

But was she really a demon? Hungry for power? Or was she simply a woman with a broken heart... trying to fulfill the dream of the only one she had ever loved?

END