OnK: Where Our Blue Is

"Okay then, once upon a time," I began, settling against the wall, "there was a kingdom called Blue Garden."

Ruby's eyes widened. "Is it all blue?"

"Not exactly. It got its name from the rare blue roses that grew only in the royal garden." I glanced at Ai, who'd moved from the chair to sit beside me on the bed, our shoulders barely touching. "The kingdom was ruled by a wise queen who had a daughter—a princess with extraordinary powers."

"What kind of powers?" Aqua asked, his skepticism giving way to curiosity.

I smiled. "She could see the truth in people's hearts. When she looked at someone, she didn't just see their face or hear their words. She saw who they really were."

"Like Ai can!" Ruby exclaimed, pointing at her mother.

Ai laughed softly. "I don't have magical powers, Ruby."

"Yes you do! You always know when I'm fibbing about brushing my teeth."

I caught Ai's eye, sharing a moment of amusement before continuing. "The princess was beloved by everyone in the kingdom, but she was lonely. You see, when you can see the truth in everyone's heart, it's hard to be surprised. Hard to feel... wonder."

"That sounds sad," Ruby said, her smile fading.

"It was," I agreed. "Until one day, when she was exploring the mountains beyond the kingdom, she heard a strange sound coming from a cave."

I lowered my voice to a dramatic whisper, and Ruby leaned forward, entranced.

"The princess knew she should be careful. Everyone in the kingdom told stories about the terrible dragon that lived in the mountains. They said it had scales sharp as knives and breath that could melt stone. They said it hoarded treasures and devoured anyone who came near."

"Did it eat people?" Ruby asked, eyes wide.

"That's what everyone believed," I said. "But remember, the princess could see the truth in hearts. So when she peered into the dark cave and saw two glowing eyes staring back at her—"

"She wasn't scared!" Ruby interrupted.

"Well, she was a little scared," I corrected. "Only fools feel no fear. But her curiosity was stronger than her fear. So she stepped into the cave."

Aqua, now fully invested, frowned. "That wasn't very smart."

"Sometimes the bravest choices don't seem smart at first," Ai said, surprising me by joining the storytelling. Her hand found mine on the bedspread, our fingers intertwining out of the children's sight. "But the princess trusted her gift."

I squeezed her hand gently. "Exactly. And when she entered the cave, she found not a terrible monster, but a dragon curled up like a cat, nursing a wounded wing."

"Was it a big dragon?" Ruby asked.

I held my arms wide. "Enormous. With scales that shifted colors like the northern lights. But its eyes—" I paused for effect, "—its eyes were sad and gentle."

"Because it was hurt," Aqua concluded.

"Yes, but not just its wing. The dragon was wounded in its heart too." I leaned forward. "You see, the dragon wasn't what everyone thought. It didn't hoard gold or eat people. It collected stories."

Ruby's brow furrowed. "Stories?"

"Books," Ai explained, picking up the thread with natural ease. "Scrolls. Letters. Diaries. Anything with words that told stories about people's lives. The dragon's cave was filled with them—thousands upon thousands of stories from all over the world."

I nodded, grateful for her contribution. "But the dragon had a problem. Though it loved stories more than anything, it couldn't read them. It could only look at the strange marks on the pages and imagine what they might say."

"That's why it was sad," Aqua said.

"Yes. And when the princess realized this, she wasn't afraid anymore. She saw the truth in the dragon's heart—that it was lonely too, just like her. Surrounded by stories it couldn't understand."

Ruby hugged her knees to her chest. "Did she help the dragon?"

"She did," I said. "First, she used herbs from the forest to heal its wing. Then, she made a promise. She would come to the cave every day and read stories to the dragon."

"And did she keep her promise?" Aqua asked, his blue eyes intense.

"Every single day, no matter the weather or how tired she was. She kept her word."

Something in Aqua's expression eased slightly.

"The princess read tales of adventure and mystery, of love and loss, of heroes and villains," I continued. "And as she read, something magical happened. The dragon began to change."

"Did it turn into a prince?" Ruby asked excitedly.

I laughed. "No, nothing so ordinary. The dragon's scales, which used to shift like the northern lights, began to absorb the stories themselves. Words appeared on its body—fragments of the tales the princess read, etched in glowing script across its wings and down its tail."

"The dragon became a living story," Ai said, her voice taking on the melodic quality I'd heard in her performances. "The more the princess read, the more words appeared, until the dragon shimmered with tales from snout to tail."

Ruby clapped her hands in delight.

"But not everyone understood," I said, my voice darkening. "The people of Blue Garden still feared the dragon. They couldn't see its heart the way the princess could. And one day, a group of knights decided to slay the dragon once and for all."

"No!" Ruby gasped.

"They couldn't!" Aqua protested.

"They tried," I said grimly. "Led by the kingdom's champion, they climbed the mountain, carrying swords and spears and arrows. The princess, hearing their plans, raced ahead to warn her friend."

"Was she fast enough?" Ruby asked, clutching her blanket.

I nodded. "She reached the cave just before the knights. But when she tried to explain that the dragon wasn't dangerous, they wouldn't listen. 'Step aside, Princess,' the champion said. 'We'll protect you from this beast.'"

"But she didn't need protecting," Ai said, her grip on my hand tightening. "She was trying to protect the dragon."

"Exactly. So when the knights charged forward, the princess did something no one expected." I paused dramatically. "She spread her arms wide and stood between the dragon and the knights."

"She was so brave," Ruby whispered.

"The bravest," I agreed. "And as she stood there, something incredible happened. The words on the dragon's scales began to glow brighter and brighter, until they lifted off its body like fireflies made of light. The stories the princess had read—tales of courage and compassion, of understanding and acceptance—filled the air around them."

"The knights stopped, transfixed," Ai continued. "The glowing words swirled around them, whispering the stories directly into their hearts. Stories that taught them to look beyond appearances, to question what they'd been told, to see with new eyes."

"One by one," I said, "the knights lowered their weapons. The words had shown them the truth—that the dragon wasn't a monster to be feared, but a guardian of stories, a keeper of knowledge."

"Did they become friends with the dragon too?" Ruby asked.

"Not right away," I admitted. "Trust takes time to build. But they stopped trying to hurt it, and that was a beginning. The princess continued visiting the dragon every day, and sometimes she brought others with her—people who wanted to learn, who were brave enough to question what they'd been told."

"And the dragon?" Aqua prompted, fully invested now.

"The dragon thrived," Ai said. "Its cave became a library—the greatest in all the lands. People traveled from far and wide to hear the stories etched on its scales. The princess became known not just for her ability to see the truth in hearts, but for helping others see it too."

I nodded. "The dragon and the princess remained friends for the rest of their days. Neither was lonely anymore, because they'd found someone who understood them completely."

Ruby sighed happily. "That's better than regular princess stories."

"I liked the dragon," Aqua admitted. "It just wanted to learn."

"Sometimes," I said, looking at the serious little boy, "the things people fear most are the things they understand least."

Ai squeezed my hand, then released it to stand. "Alright, story time is over. Time for bed."

Ruby pouted. "One more story? Please?"

"Not tonight," Ai said firmly. "It's already past your bedtime."

"Will you come back tomorrow?" Ruby asked, turning to me with hopeful eyes. "For another story?"

I glanced at Ai, uncertain how to answer. We hadn't discussed any plans beyond tonight.

"Toshiro has work tomorrow, Ruby," Ai said gently. "Just like I do. But he'll visit again soon."

"Promise?" Ruby pressed, looking at me intently.

"I promise," I said. "More stories next time."

This seemed to satisfy her. She threw her arms around my neck in a quick hug, then scrambled under her covers. Aqua slid off the bed more sedately, pausing at the door.

"The dragon story was good," he said, his voice serious. "But next time, maybe one with samurai?"

I smiled. "I think I can manage that."