Once Upon a Time
by silverweed (aka cantalyne aka ahleen): jelliclekashmir@hotmail.com

Ayeka smiled her court smile. The one that throbbed with the sincerity she
didn't feel. Another noble approached her throne, bowing low mechanically,
matching the authenticity of her own smile. She passed off a witty comment,
something true to the accepted intelligence level of a Juraian princess,
and the man laughed with his teeth, without warmth; his ice-block-cold eyes
searched behind her shadow.

He took her hand and bent over it in the prescribed manner. His hand was
cold and clammy and limp. It lacked the firm honesty of one that takes
hands with the heart. The other arm dangled uselessly at his side.

He moved on, and another noble came to take his place. Ayeka switched on
her smile again, bored by the monotony of endless visitors. They were not
here for the love of her; oh heavens no. They made their empty offers of
invitations to their own houses, but Ayeka did not accept. Could never
accept. Because she knew they wanted the Juraian first princess whose
friendship would be to their extreme advantage.

The certainly didn't want Ayeka herself.

"Come to my manor." "Come again, feel at home." If she were to come as
Ayeka, once, twice - there would be no thrice, for then doors would slam
shut in her face. And so she would be alone once again.

So she had learned many things. She had learned to wear many faces, which
she could don and remove at her will. Her court-face, which she wore now.
Her diplomatic-face, the blankly sweet and dumb visage. The
court-affair-face, which always seemed to being enjoying itself immensely.
She wore these faces like dresses, with all their conforming smiles like a
fixed portrait smile. She rarely wore her own face.

She had learned, too, to laugh with only her teeth, and to bow
mechanically, without showing warmth or heart. She had learned to say
"good-bye" to the many important figures when she desperately wanted to
tell them off, to say "good riddance," to run away. She had learned to
smile brightly for foreign officials and say "Glad to meet you" while
anything but glad. She had learned to dimple her cheeks and speak, "It's
been nice talking to you," after being endlessly bored.

Was this why she loved Tenchi so much? Because she could remove all the
masks and be simply Ayeka for short moments? Because he accepted her on her
own and not because of any attempts to climb the social ladder? Because he
did not seek power from her? Because he did not care that she was a
princess of Jurai? He only cared that she was Ayeka, and she was free to
throw the faces away, if only for a small while. But Tenchi was not in
Jurai.

She watched Sasami, wandering the crowds, still too young to take part in
ceremonial greetings. She watched Sasami laugh; it was a laugh with heart.
Ayeka squeezed her eyes shut for a brief moment, but when she opened them
again, she was still in the great hall on Jurai. Her eyes were met with
lines of people, all waiting to meet with Princess Ayeka's… court-face.

She wanted to unlearn all these muting things. As she spoke to another
noble, she caught a glimpse of her laugh in the mirror. It showed only her
teeth, like a snake's bared fangs. She wanted Sasami to teach her how to
laugh again; she wanted Sasami to show her how to laugh and smile as Ayeka
herself had once done, once upon a time when she was like her sister.

Again she looked at the seas of people before her. Were these their own
appearances? Did they, too, where court-faces? Did they know how to wear
visages like dresses, and to say "good-bye" when they mean, "good
riddance?" Did they, too, laugh with only their teeth? And had they ever
ended the masquerade? Laughed and smiled with their hearts?

Maybe they had. Once upon a time.



Author's Note: This story is based upon a wonderful poem which I absolutely
loved the moment a read it in my Modern World History book. J It, too, is
called Once Upon a Time, and is by Gabriel Okara. I urge you all to look it
up and read it. -silverweed (pen name: cantalyne)