Chapter 4

I gaped at him.

"Princess?"

I didn't care that he was calling me princess.  I was preoccupied with the fact that Valency was in Reality, and most likely with Love.

"Are you all right?"

"How can I get to Reality?" I demanded

"Magic," the servant stuttered.

"Who knows magic?"

"The Nameless One, Miss."

I rushed out of the castle without another word to him.  I couldn't let Valency have the key and use me and my girl.  I had to fix it.  I knew from Love that when you needed something, you didn't just wait for it to come to you.  You had to go out and find what you need.  I ran through the golden clouds surrounding the castle until I reached the paint sea.  I didn't realize before how far it was.  Valency had used magic to get us to his castle before so I couldn't really judge the distance then.  I don't rightly know how I got there without getting lost, besides.  I was absolutely exhausted and out of breathe when I reached the paint, but it was only discomfort, and it wouldn't have any serious effects.  

The boy was there, waiting for me.  He was sitting with his back to me and with his bare feet in the paint.  I dropped to my knees next to him, gasping from running all the way.  "I'm so glad I found you."

He looked up and smiled.  "How's your mission?"

I nearly burst into angry tears.  "I lost the key."

The boy blinked.  "That's not possible.  No one can 'lose' the key.  All other keys can be lost, but not this one."

I frowned.  "Lost isn't the right word.  It was stolen."

The boy's face went serious.  "Who stole it?"

"Prince Valency."

The boy's eyes went placid.  

"I need to get to Reality."

The boy shook his head.  "No one can get back--"

"But he did! He is there, right now, with my girl!"  I could hear the panic in my voice.  It was stronger than when I was just talking about the key.  I felt violated that Valency was anywhere near my girl.  I had no trust in him now.  

The boy looked into my eyes.  "Aemy, I can't help you, but there is someone who can."

"Go on,"I hissed, my patience waning.

"My brother--"

"Aemy!"

I cringed.  It was Valency.  I turned to see him dashing towards me.  

"I've been searching everywhere for you,"he said, worriedly.

"You were in Reality with my girl.  You are using me!  You stole the key!"I accused Valency, glaring at him with all of the hate and anger I could muster without pouncing on him.  

The boy took a step away from me.  "Aemy, be careful,"he whispered.

"What are you talking about, Sweet?" Valency questioned in mock innocence.  I could see that he was acting now.  I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen how insincere he really had been.  He had been using me, I was sure.  

I stepped to him and pulled the key from under his shirt.  "This."  I pulled it free from him.  My dream had been correct, miraculously.  

Valency narrowed his eyes.  "You brat.  I should have never brought you here."  He raised his arm offensively.

The boy pushed me out of the way, and he grabbed Valency's arm.  "Don't you dare harm her."

Valency sneered at him.  "Well, well, the little lost Prince.  Don't try to be the hero."

"Aemy, run!" the boy cried.

I didn't have to be told twice.  I bolted away and never looked back.  I could hear the scuffle behind me, the sounds of grunts and blows.  That was one strong little boy.  I probably should have been more worried about him facing Valency, who was a full grown man, or that was what his form was.  I should have worried about him more, or at all, really, but I was caught up in the moment.  It happens to the best of us.

Just before I couldn't hear them anymore, the boy yelled,"Sg noleb yekeht ereh wot y mea ekat!"

Instantaneously, I was on a plateau overlooking the entire land of Nothingness.  I was all by myself, except for something red in the center of the plateau.  I turned to look at it better.  It was a woman.  This beautiful lady was dressed in a scarlet robe and was smiling at me.

I stepped towards her, relieved.  She seemed safe enough.  "Hello."

No answer.  I took another step and looked up into her unseeing eyes.  She was a doll.  I stared at her.  What was I supposed to do?  Play house?  Personally, I've never liked dolls, even though Love did.  I was always kind of jealous of how they were more real than me.  They may not have been alive or conscious, but at least they could be seen by everyone, they could interact with all the world and leave an imprint, no matter how small it was.  Imaginaries only left an imprint on the child's mind.  

I sighed and wandered the plateau.  I was stuck with nowhere to go.  The mesa wasn't particularly big.  It was nearly circular with the doll in the middle, and it rose randomly from the paint ocean.

I went back to look at the doll. Her emotionless face seemed motherly.  Her pale porcelain cheeks had shine spots.  Once again, light, no source.

"Aemy!"

I turned in surprise to find Love behind me.  Can I just say that I was completely confused?

"Aemy, Valency said you would be here," she said with calm relief.

I stepped back, against the doll.  There was something different about her, something in the way she carried herself, something in the way she stood and moved, something in the way she smiled, something in the way she looked at me.

"Don't be afraid," she cooed to comfort me.

"Love, why are you here?"I whispered.

"To help you of course.  Valency brought me hear to help you put the key where it belongs."  Her smile wasn't quite right.  Even so, she was my Love.  I didn't understand it.  This was so wrong.  My girl was on his side.  He had manipulated her.  I fell to my knees and burst into tears.  Love had been my rock and foundation. She had been consistent for my entire existence.  She may have grown up and changed, but she was still my Love, and I, of all beings, should know her, should know what she would do, how she would react, why she would do something.  If I no longer knew her, then, what had she become?

Love knelt to speak with me and put a hand on my shoulder.  "Please don't cry, Aemy.  It will be fine."

"No!" I cried, shoving her hand away.  "What has he done to you?  Why are you like this?  Why are you even here?"

"Who are you?"

It was Love who had spoken, but not the cold, manipulated one:  It had been my Love.  I spun to look at her, to make sure it really was her.  She stood proudly on the other side of the plateau, staring stonily at the other Love.

"I knew you'd sabotage this,"evil Love sneered.  

My Love grinned.  "I couldn't let you wreak havoc.  This story has a happy ending."  She seemed to have her usual confident determination.  That was my Love.  She had been confident, and the way this girl held herself in all her confidence was how Love did.  No other child, or young adult, or adult held him or herself as Love did, and this was clearly Love.

Evil Love snarled at her.  In the blink of an eye, evil Love changed into Valency.  "You stupid girl, I had this brilliant plan, and I was offering you the world."

Love laughed.  "But you move the stars for no one."  She was so unaffected by his words.  They seemed to be just a big joke to her.  I grinned. Love always had a way to break the ice.  Besides, what comes to your mind are the lines you've heard over and over again.  She had no fear.  Her confidence was amazing and rarely disappeared.  

"Valency, you arrogant fool, why don't you give up trying to rule Nothing?" Love scoffed.

In a flash of metal, Valency pulled his sword from his side and pinned Love between the blade and the edge.  "Everything I've done, I've done for you.  You wanted to grow up, so I took Aemy." I frowned at this.  Love wanted to grow up?  Why?  Why would my Love want to grow up?  She was perfect, and now she wanted to grow up?  It struck a pain in my heart.  I knew that she had grown up:  I wouldn't be here if she hadn't grown up to the point that she didn't need me any more.  I only thought that it was natural, that she was gaining more responsibility and rising to the situation.  I had never thought that she chose to grow up.  "I have been generous," Valency continued, interrupting my thoughts.  "I have done everything you wanted.  I turned the world upside down, for you!  I was offering you your dreams, and you betray me for the brat."

I slipped behind the doll to hide my fear from the fearless girl.  When she created an adventure for me, I was always as brave as Love.  I knew she could always save me when she was control, but now, she was at the mercy of the situation.

"You have no power over me so why don't you put your overcompensating sword away?"Love said simply.  She seemed to be enjoying this, enjoying the danger, the adventure, the excitement she had always imagined.

"Fear me!" Valency yelled.

I clutched at the doll's robes, but the robes didn't move right.  I shouldn't have been surprised, since this was the Realm of Nothing, and nothing was really as it seemed, but I was, and I opened my eyes.  There was a key hole in the middle of her back.  I laughed.  Of course it was a windup doll.  I looked down at the forgotten key clutched in my left hand.  This was all too easy, but it had been prophesied.  I put the key in the hole, gave it a few turns, and stepped back.

It was miraculous.  The doll was a light source, beautiful, bright, glorious.  It had unnerved me to not know where the light was coming from, before.  She stood a little straighter and laughed.  Valency stared in horror at the doll, while Love smirked triumphantly.

I knew you could do it, Love mouthed to me.

I nodded.

"My son," the doll said.  Everything about her, even her voice was motherly.  "Release the girl."

Valency lowered his sword from Love's neck.  "Mother?"

"Where are your brothers?" she asked.

"They've been long forgotten, as you have been, Mother,"Valency growled.  

"Where is Aemy?" the porcelain doll asked.

I stepped from behind her.  "How do you know who I am?"

She placed a porcelain hand on my cheek and looked into my eyes.  "My daughter, I have always known you."