Requiem for the Infidels by Ichiro Sakaki

Author:Ichiro Sakaki [Sakaki, Ichiro]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: fantasy, light novel, adventure
ISBN: 9781595329868
Amazon: 1595329862
Goodreads: 299137
Publisher: TokyoPop
Published: 1999-09-14T00:00:00+00:00

Elfitine awoke, sweating and gasping. She sat up and took a few deep breaths. The leader of the Blasphemers’ Garden couldn’t be seen shaking and terrified; she needed to regain her composure as quickly as possible.

Once she finally slowed her racing heart, she released a long sigh. She had had difficult nights as of late. She never slept until she was rested—only until the sickness and horror woke her from her dreams. She ran her fingers over her damp face.

You need to get up. Swallowing, Elfitine slowly stood up slipped out of her nightgown. She put on the simple yet elegant white dress she always wore to her morning bath. It was far more elegant than the clothing all the other islanders wore, made at the island’s sewing factory.

“Good morning, Lady Elfitine.” One of her ladies-in-waiting entered the room and bowed. The girl was only two or three years older than Elfitine, close enough in age that they might have been friends—if the lady-in-waiting ever dropped her formality.

“Good morning.” Elfitine smiled magnanimously and hoped, as she always did, that she made a convincing princess. It had been six years since Elfitine had first taken on this role, but she was still uncomfortable.

She was born a commoner and had lived an ordinary life until the age of eight. Then Reynard had taken her in, and she’d spent a year with him, traveling to various locations. To her, the word “princess” was much like that of “God” or “demon”—the concept was so far removed from reality, she could barely imagine it.

Elfitine was unsure how to act. The Scrapped Princess was branded as evil and literally “scrapped” at birth, so it’s not like she’d had a royal upbringing. Elfitine knew that her awkwardness and timidity made sense, at the very least.

“Will you be bathing now, my lady?”

Elfitine nodded in silence and walked outside. She hoped that keeping silent made her seem more dignified. It was certainly easier.

A narrow path stretched out from the back of the house, leading to the small natural spring that was her personal bath. No one but the Scrapped Princess was permitted near it. As she walked along the path, she couldn’t help but let out a sigh.

Alone again.

Elfitine reached the spring. She removed her dress and folded it neatly, then slowly stepped into the water.

The chill bit into her skin, banishing her drowsiness. She lowered herself into the pool gently, waiting for her body to adjust to the cold. She leaned back and sighed. This was the only place where she could drop her act and put aside her responsibilities. Naked and alone, for a short while she could simply be Elfitine.

It cheered her up a little. She was happy to be of service to Reynard by taking on her princess role, of course, but every once in a while she needed to remind herself who she was.

Something rustled in the underbrush.

Elfitine wasn’t concerned. None of the islanders would come near this place, but sometimes birds or small animals wandered by.

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