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There has been a legend that has been passed down through my small town for many years. Legend tells of the castle that lies deep within the forest. If you walk up to the door of the castle, a young man will greet you. You enter the castle to see a world of amazement and wonder. You will be give an elegent dress and huge banquet held for you. The young man answers your every wish and command. Whether you want to be a bird to fly in the sky or fish that swims in the sea. To bestow love to the innocent or incinerate evil, he will grant them all. At the end of the night, you dance with the young man to the morning rise. Once the morning rises, you forget everything that took place. But once you have lived the life of amazement thrice, you will never return to the life you once have. Your heart will belong to the only person in the castle. That is the legend of the Master of the Kokoro Castle.
Young Lula Terpsichore never believed the silly legend that people always speak about. She didn't have time to listen to dumb legends about a never seen castle. She was too busy slaving away for the people that own her. Lula was a slave to the richest people in the town, the Shoren family. The Shoren family consisted of the family head, Herald Shoren, his wife Lucy Shoren, and their three children, Eliza, Robert and William. She slaved away for their every whim and wish.
One day while doing the laundry, Lady Lucy summoned her to the study. She hurried over to the study and knocked at the door. From inside, she heard Lord Herald's voice.
"Enter." he said. She opened the door and walked in. She bowed before him and looked at him.
"You called, Lord Herald?" Herald nodded and clasped his hands on the desk.
"That's right." he said. He stood up and faced the window behind him. "Me and my wife are leaving town from some time. While we're gone, you will listen to our children. Understand?" Lula bowed again and simply spoke.
"Yes." she said. Herald looked at her and waved his hand to tell her to leave. She nodded her head and exited the room. That afternoon, Lord Herald and Lady Lucy left by carriage. Robert and William were waiting for Lula in their room.
"You have to listen to us now." said William. He pulled Lula over to him and pushed her onto the bed. Robert grabbed her arms and held her back.
"Now, don't resist. That's an order." said Robert. Lula screamed and freed herself from them. She raced out the door and into the forest. Night soon fell and she was lost within the woods. She found herself on a small dirt path leading deep into the forest. She followed the path until she reached a magnificent castle out in the woods. In front of the castle doors, there was a young man there. The young man had beautiful golden blonde hair pulled into a tiny high ponytail. His eyes shined a handsome teal in color. He bowed before Lula and smiled.
"Tonight, once again, I'm inviting you to a land of bewitchment." he said. He stood up and gently grabbed her hand. "Welcome, royal princess. I've prepared for you a dress and a banquet." He raise her hands to his lips and kissed her hand. Lula blushed at the gesture he displayed. He lead her to the door and placed his hand on the door. "Waiting for you at the other side of this door is a perpetually revolving world of enchantment." He pushed the door to and the door opened slowly. When the door opened, Lula was in awe of the beautiful grand ball room. The young man lead her into the grand ball room and snapped his fingers. Lula's slave rags turned into a silky purple ballgown. Her long light lavender hair was flowing back behind her. Her dark violet eyes now shone beautifully in the light. In the middle of the room, a long table covered in food of all kinds was laid out for her. Lula was so enchanted by the sights that she was speechless. The young man lead her over to the main chair and pulled it back for her. She sat down in the chair and the young man scooted her in. Lula looked up at the man and went to speak. He simply put a finger to her lips to silence her. "No need for words, My Princess." He took a step back and let Lula eat her fill of the banquet.
Once Lula was done, the young man lead her out of her chair and to the main floor. Lula had a chance to speak to the young man.
"What is your name?" she asked. The man simply smiled and bowed before her.
"Never once has someone asked of my name." he said. He stood back up and placed his hand on his chest. "I am Adon Hrdayesa. I alone live in this castle, My Princess."
"But I am not a-" she began to say until he silenced her once more.
"Say no more." he said. "Tell what your desire is tonight. It can anything you want, My Princess." Lula thought about it for someone time and came up with an answer.
"I love to be a bird!" she said. Adon smiled and snapped his fingers. Lula was transformed into a purple bird. She flew around the room many times laughing happily. She flew down to Adon's shoulder and landed there. "Can I be a fish in the sea?" she asked. Adon smiled and snapped his fingers again. Soon the room was filled with water and she was a purple fish. She swam around Adon as he simply stood there with a smile. After some time, Adon snapped his fingers and everything returned to normal. He walked over to Lula and bowed.
"Forgive me but it is time for a dance, My Princess." he apologized. He clapped his hands twice and music starts from nowhere. He held out his hand and smiled. "May I have this dance, My Princess?" he asked. Lula smiled nodding her head as she took his hand. She clapsed her hand with his and placed her other on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her waist and then began to dance. She looked up at him as they were dancing.
"Why must we dance?" she asked. Adon smiled as they continued to dance.
"For when the sun rises, you forget everything that took place here tonight." he said. Lula was sadden that she would forget everything that took place. But Adon stopped and gently made Lula look at him. "The events that took place will forever linger in your heart, My Princess." She smiled and they continue to dance for as long as they could. Soon the sun started to rise and the dance came to an end. Adon stopped, released Lula and kissed her hand one last time. "Until next time, My Princess." Once the sun shone over the horizon, Lula jolted awake in her bed. She placed her hand on her head as she tried to remember what happened. She couldn't remember her dream she was dreaming.
"I can't remember." she said. But she smiled and climbed out of her bed. "But it was a nice dream." She worked on her chores and tended to the children. In the afternoon, Eliza walked up to her.
"I want some wild flowers from the forest. Go get some." she demanded. Lula bowed and quickly set off in the forest. Night falls in the forest and Lula was lost. She traveled down a simple dirt road until she came across a castle. A man awaited her at the front gate bowing before her. The man smiled and stood up straight.
"Tonight, once again, I'm inviting you to a land of bewitchment." he said. He walked over to her and kissed her hand. "Welcome, royal princess, I've prepared for you a dress and a banquet." He lead her to the door and placed his hand on door. "What you will see at the other side of the door is an upside-down virtual image that will forever linger in your heart." He opened the door and revealed a beautiful ballroom. Laid out in the center of the room was a table of wonderful food. He snapped his fingers and she was dressed into a beautiful white gown. Her light lavender hair was back in a long ponytail. Her dark violet eyes shined like pearls. He lead her over to a chair and sat her down. He stood back as Lula feasted on the banquet.
After she was done, he lead her out into the center of the room. Lula looked around the room and then to the man.
"Where is everyone?" she asked. He simply smiled and bowed.
"For the reason that you will be the only one able to oversee and control everything that takes place here." he said. He placed his hand over his heart and smiled. "What do you desire, My Princess?" Lula smiled at him happily.
"I would like to bestow love on the innocent." she said. He snapped his fingers and she began bestowing love to all. She then turned to him and smiled again. "I would like to incinerate evil." He snapped his fingers and she incinerated all the evil people. After a little while, he snapped his fingers and everything returned to normal.
"Forgive me for interrupting but it is time to dance." he apologized. He clapped his hands twice and the music began. He held out his hand and smiled. "May I have this dance?" She smiled and took his hand. They assumed the dancing position and began to dance. Lula looked at him sadden.
"Will I forget this place again, Adon?" she asked. She was surprised that she even knew his name. Adon smiled stopping the dance. He carressed her cheek and smiled.
"It will still forever linger in your heart, My Princess." he said with a smile. They continued the dance until the morning rose again. Adon stopped and kissed her hand. "Until next time, My Princess." When the sun came over the horizon, Lula opened her eyes to see the ceiling. She sat up her bed and hung her head low.
"It was such a nice dream. Why can't I stay there?" she said. She climbed out of the bed and started her work once more. At the end of the day, Lord Herald and Lady Lucy returned to the mansion. Lula greeted them with a bow. "Welcome home, My Lord and Lady." Herald walked up to her and slapped her. She hit the floor and placed her hand on her face where he struck her. She looked up at Lord Herald as he loomed over her.
"You have ignored my children's wishes while we were gone." he said in a cold tone. Robert, William and Eliza were standing by the door smiling evily. Lula shook her head and tried to explain.
"But My Lord-" she tried to say.
"I don't want to hear excuses!" Herald shouted. "You will suffer a severe punishment for disobeying orders." Lula shook her head and began to cry.
"No... Please... No!" she shouted. She got up and ran out the door and into the forest. She continues to run and run into the night. She didn't even noticed herself running up a dirt road. She stopped in shock of the castle she nearly ran into. She looked over and the young man bowed before her.
"Tonight, once again, I'm inviting you to a land of bewitchment." he said. He walked over to her and caressed her swollen cheek. "Welcome, royal princess, I have prepared a dress for you tonight." He walked over to the door and the door opened by itself. The young man walked into the castle without her. She quickly ran after him.
"Wait Adon!!" she shouted. She peered into the castle and saw Adon standing in the middle of the ballroom. As she looked into the castle, she noticed she was wearing a lacey black and dark violet dress. Her hair was pulled back into two pigtails. Adon held out his hand and smiled.
"Now, make your way over here." he said. Lula started to walk into the castle. "And out of your hampering shackles and cuffs." She looked down to see shackles and cuffs fall of her. Once she was in front of him, they assumed the dancing position. "In this world where everything comes to a halt, let's dance the Black Waltz." They started to dance to no music in the room.
In a few minutes, they stopped and Adon lifted her head to meet his eyes. He smiled and caressed her cheek once more.
"In this world were everything comes to an end." he said. He spin her out of a waltz. "Only the Black Waltz will continue." They danced once more with no music. Soon Lula was tired and Adon smiled. He lead into a small door at the end of the room. In the room was a simple chair. He lead her over and sat her down. Lula's violet eyes were devoid of life. He held his hand out and something came out of Lula's chest. He smiled and held it in his hand.
"Now I own your heart, My Princess." he said. The room reveiled many other girls of many ages, lifeless as Lula. Adon walked out of the room and closed the door. The sun was already shining high in the sky. The castle was in ruins and covered in dust. He walked up a set of stairs and looked down into the ballroom fromthe railing. "Time to prepare for the next dance." he said with a smile. He walked away from the railing and vanished into thin air.
Yet another victim taken by the Master of Kokoro Castle. Many people fall for the allure of that castle and its sole resident. But what does the Master of Kokoro Castle do with all the hearts he collects? For that, we may never know.