Falling Fast
NOTE: Shugo Chara does not belong to me :(
Summary: England is determined to capture the Spanish capital of the new world, Havana. Eighteen years of age, young, and fiery; Admiral Ikuto Tsukiyomi is told to sack Havana and put it under British rule within the end of the year. But then the unexpected happens…he falls in love! REDONE!
CHAPTER I (redone 12/1/09)
The Assignment
Ikuto Tsukiyomi was a young man. He was eighteen, strong, and very much determined to rise in the ranks of the British Navy. It didn't matter if his father was a Japanese samurai with unusual musical talent who had married the daughter of an English lord. He was still a loyal sea officer and a formidable man, despite what his fellow sailors had jeered before Ikuto had taught them otherwise.
It was 1662, and all the powers of Europe were competing for colonies in the New World. Spain, darn their wealth and powerful navy, had already established masses of them in the Americas. England focused on the Caribbean, hiring pirates to raid other troublesome countries (France and Holland), establishing small cities in the tropical islands – Barbados, Nassau, Antigua, Port Royale…they were few compared to the Spanish ones, but were great in comparison to those of the Netherlands (A.N: Holland = Netherlands, in case you don't know) and the perfidious settlements of the French.
To break even with Spain in the race to dominate the New World, the King of England had set his sights on Havana, the glittering "capital" of New Spain in the Caribbean. It held more treasures than even El Dorado, the City Paved with Gold, said the ministrels, and Ikuto believed them wholeheartedly.
It was partially because life was good for him. He had the friends, the money, the good looks... not to mention Ikuto was a respected officer of the British Navy.
On this particular day, Admiral Ikuto Tsukiyomi was spending a sunny afternoon in the shops of the English colony of Antigua, buying whatever caught his eye. From cutlasses to dancing boots to a Dutch rutter (A/N: a map), Antigua's streets had everything. Ikuto eventually settled on a small, fashionable hat shop filled with tittering young ladies and their charming suitors. It looked like a nice place to acquire a new hat, so in Ikuto went.
He quickly found and bought himself a French chapeau (it was all the rage these days, partially because it helped charm the ladies) when his friend, a naval officer named Kuukai, dragged him off and out of the shop.
"What are you doing, Kuukai! This is -" Ikuto started, but was cut off as Kuukai shook him angrily.
"Look, Ikuto, we don't have time for this! The governor wants to see you NOW, and he's not patient about things, remember the last time I ignored his summons?" cried his brown-haired friend as he pushed Ikuto down the street, past the "Hoshina Ramen Tavern" (A/N: Utau much?), the "Kairi School of Fencing", and even a small barbershop with a merry little sign reading: "Saaya's Apothecary: Love Potions and More!" (A/N: Saaya + love potions = watch out Tadase!).
"Was that the time the governor of Antigua 'accidentally' sold your ship (A/N: Kuukai is a captain in the British Navy, he used to command and own a ship called The Sunmaiden, his current ship is the Beauty of the Deep) to a passing pirate?" Ikuto laughed, jabbing his friend in the shoulder playfully.
Kuukai snorted and turned away, irritated. "I actually want to see the Governor get rid of your whole fleet (A/N: Admirals command a fleet of ships, about 4-10 of them) now, Ikuto!"
They stopped in front of a tall, gray tower. It was the watchtower of the English town of Antigua, and that was where the governor conducted his duties (except at night, when he held balls at his mansion). Ikuto and Kuukai grew hushed. "You first," Kuukai said, "The governor asked to see you specifically, so..."
"But why would the Governor summon me? There's tons of other naval officers to call upon for pirate-catching..." Ikuto started, but he walked into the hard stone tower nevertheless. "Oh well, as long as my fleet of ships doesn't get 'accidentally' sold..."
Kuukai stepped on his foot quite hard as they climbed up a spiral of stairs. "It must be because you're the only British admiral for miles around in the Caribbean," he commented, and dashed away
"Ow!" exclaimed his sapphire-haired friend. "What was that for, Kuukai?"
"It was an 'accident', Ikuto, sorry 'bout that," Kuukai said with a straight face.
Ikuto snorted, and they went farther and farther up the staircase, towards the Governor of Antigua's study...
"Good day, Admiral Ikuto Tsukiyomi," the Governor of Antigua greeted a flustered Ikuto in a mellow but deep voice.
Ikuto bowed grandly and replied in what he hoped to be a calm, yet manly voice: "Good day, Governor Tier."
Governor Tier was a short, stout man, with fine gray hair and a large moustache. Everything else about him was sharp, though. His yellowish, eagle-like eyes betrayed his years of playing Caribbean politics, which were extremely messy and involved manipulating turncoat pirates to his advantage with wordplay at most.
Kuukai bowed, as well.
"And hello to you, Captain Kuukai." Governor Tier greeted him, and then he turned to Ikuto. "I would like to inform you of an order that the royal King of England has commanded me to execute…" He waved a lazy hand and his butler came. The butler held out a map of the Caribbean.
Havana, Ikuto noticed, was marked by a huge inkblot.
"Erm, sir," he said, "Is there any reason why Havana is so…distinguished from the rest of the cities on this map?"
The Governor of Antigua smiled faintly, but it did not reach his still-piercing eyes. "What a clever man, you are, Admiral," he murmured sardonically. In a louder voice, he proclaimed, "Unsurprisingly, I hope, I want you, Ikuto Tsukiyomi, Admiral of the 45th Fleet of the British Navy, to sack Havana." His voice softened as he added, "Oh, and my daughter Esmeralda would very much like to see you. Would you do her the honor...?"
Ikuto Tsukiyomi would've fainted on the spot, but he knew it wasn't proper to. He could even hear Kuukai quivering with horror behind him, making the the floor rattle with his shivers. And if Kuukai, the most fearless man he'd ever never felt that way...Ikuto was dumbfounded.
For, the only thought running through his head at the moment was... Sack Havana? Dance with the Governor's Daughter of Antigua? He can't be...
But when the young Admiral looked up, shocked, and at Governor Tier's face again... It was still wearing those eagle-eyes, and a smile like that of a snake's.
...serious.
Amu: Aaaw, I'm not in the story yet...
Ikuto: Patience is a virtue, Amu.
Amu: *pouts*Curiosity killed the cat!
Ikuto: Be nice, Amu...
Amu: *blushes*
DUN DUN DUN!
Read and review, I'm not putting the next chapter up until I see more reviews!
Sincerely,
Solace and Serenity
