Title: Gypped
Chapter: Kidnapping [o1]
Author: KuRoMeNoHiMe
Genre: Romance, suspense, family
Warnings: OCC, fluff, drama, possibly more
Characters: Sora x OC x Roxas
Summary: She was raised by a normal father and brother, but what if they weren't really hers? She was brought into the castle, but what if it wasn't to work? She had to follow orders to keep her family free, but what if she didn't want to do them? She had two choices for love, but she couldn't decide: the prince or the best friend?
Notes: Hey! I was really inspired to write this chapter to day because of boredom. I hope it's not too bad. Tell me what you think! I think I did a pretty good job, but hey, reviews make people happy, mainly me. And the happy person becomes wanting to update... Well, I'll probably be doing that whether you like it or not for the first few chapters ;) Well anyways, carry on.
xXXx
Into the night, a cloaked man ran through the darkness. His black cape barely made sounds as it fluttered through the wind. A tiny child lay in his arms asleep. She was a very beautiful child indeed. Her parents claimed she would grow up to be a very beautiful woman, but her parents were not presently there to affirm that claim. Where were her parents? Why, they were still in Hollywood, of course, a world of rich, famous, beautiful people.
The man had gone far past the boundaries of Hollywood and was now in Hallowed Bastion. He was there under secret orders from his boss. He didn't know why he had to bring the child worlds away or what would be done with it afterwards, but it wasn't his position to ask. He a beggar from Hollywood. There, the richest person with the most influence had the most power. He was very far from that position.
The only theory he had was that Emmy Kingdom, another famous city that was under tight rule of Queen Emmy, became offended by Hollywood someway. They were known to be in war with Disney Kingdom and anyone who had allegiance with them, and he had heard rumors that when someone opposed Queen Emmy, bad things were to happen to them.
The baby opened its emerald green eyes and gave the man a toothy grin. She was no doubt a very trusting soul. That would serve her problems later on in life when you had to know who to trust and who not to. She giggled, giving the man a sharp pang of guilt to his heart. The child was innocent, there was no reason to hand her over.
The man was conflicting with himself in his mind. If he were to give the baby to whoever this Mr. Strife was, he could only pray for the best for the child, but he would get paid a hefty amount of money. The other option would be to keep the baby himself; there was no way he could return it without some sort of severe punishment. He would either get caught by his employer of someone else of authority. He hadn't kidnapped the child himself, you see. When he went to work, he was ordered to deliver her to Hallowed Bastion for a reward. Being poor, he naturally accepted. If he kept her, he would have to raise her or give her to someone else to raise, but there was no one he could trust. So he would have to raise her himself until she could take care of herself.
But what if they don't want to harm her? I do need the money...
She's a BABY! She's done nothing wrong! Didn't Mother raise you better than this?
But... I could get killed...
So could she. Could you really live with her death on your hands?
The little girl cooed, snapping the man out of his thoughts. She looked like an angel, completely pure without a sin. He could feel his heart grow more attached as he looked at her fondly. There would be a bond between them, and he knew it. There was no doubt in his mind the two of them would grow close over time.
The man stared at the little girl, as if she could give him the answer to his dilemma. She just giggled and patted her tiny hands against his newly-shaved face. That made him decide; he would keep her. He wouldn't let them get her, even if his life depended on it. That was a promise. Before, he was living his life with no meaning. He only woke up, went to work, then went home. That was his life, but now he would have something to protect, and he would do it!
He looked at the nearest street sign: Magick Avenue. He was supposed to meet Mr. Strife at a club named Heartless. The name already gave him a clue Mr. Strife's personality since he was the one who had personally chose the meeting spot. He shuddered. If this man was the same as the name of the club implied, he most likely wouldn't care what would happen to his angel.
His angel? He wondered as he peered at the little girl in wonder. He guessed that she would make relations in the blink of an eye. It had worked on him, and she couldn't even speak yet. He cradled the child to his face. She let out a pleased sound. He knew the two were going to be together. From now on, regardless of who her previous parents were before, she was going to stay with him.
That made him feel guilty all over again. Who was he to take this child from her rightful parents? But he couldn't just return her. He didn't even know who her parents were! Yes, until he found out who her real parents were, he would keep her. Until then, he would be the one who would raise her. He would be her father.
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In a castle in a distant world, a young maid cheerfully went to prepare her young mistress for another new day. She, like many others in the castle, were very fond of the baby. She was sweet, and her blind faith in everything made her simply adorable. She had been ecstatic when she learned she would be the child's personal caretaker. Some might say that would be a waste of life, but this maid was proud to work under his and her majesties. They were very kind and compassionate. She had no doubt that their daughter would be as well.
"Princess Riko! Wakey- wakey!" the maid sang as she burst through the door.
She closed her eyes, awaiting a cheerful greeting from her young mistress. She had always been an early-bird, ever since she was born. Even the queen admitted that her child woke up much sooner than she did. She let out a soft giggle, thinking that the child's early record had just been broken.
"Princess Riko!" she called again, prowling through out the room like a lion.
Yes, this maid was very playful, but no one really minded. Her playfulness was probably the main reason that she had been picked to be Princess Riko's personal caretaker. Some might have thought that it would be a big honor for such a position, and she did, but more than anything, she loved to make the little girl smile. Her smile just drew people, including her, in. It was just something about it.
"Princess?" the maid asked, having finished prowling around the room. The child was no where to be found. She began tearing up the room.
"Princess?!?" she yelled in alarm, fear creeping into every inch of her heart. "This isn't funny, Riko! Come out!"
Most people, besides her parents, never forgot to use the word Princess unless they were angry, and even then, almost all of the workers in Warner Palace used it. Now this lowly maid was calling out to her mistress without it, but she was afraid. Where was the princess? She wasn't in her bed. She wasn't under the giant stack of pillows. She wasn't hiding in the closet. SO WHERE WAS SHE?
"PRINCESS!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs, not even caring if any passer byers thought she was a loon.
Any second the princess would jump through the doors, she assured herself. Maybe she was with her parents. The maid clung to that hope as she ran to the King and Queen's chamber. Forgetting to knock, she threw their door open. The half asleep rulers looked at her in question as she scanned around the room. She wasn't in there.
"What is it, Hillary?" Queen Rina asked with a yawn.
The maid, Hillary, could feel her eyes water. Princess Riko knew better than to leave her room on her own without telling her parents. So why wasn't she in her room or her parent's? She wasn't there! She wasn't there! She feel to her knees in devastated sobs. Where was her princess? The girl she loved like a little sister? Where was she? WHERE WAS SHE???
"Hillary?" the Queen asked once again with more concern.
".... R-r-r," she stuttered, mind beginning to grasp the concept that she was gone.
"What?" King Stephen questioned sleepily, "You're stuttering, m'dear."
Hillary began to wail. Her princess was gone. That was all that ran through her mind. Tears of sadness and disbelief soaked her face within a matter of minutes, but she didn't care. The child she treasured as a sister was missing. Missing... that made the maid release another fit of sobs.
The King and Queen looked at each other before squatting down to the heartbroken maid. Rina patted her back, trying to comfort the young woman. She was usually so energetic. What caused her to cry? Both she and her husband wondered the same thing.
"You need to tell us clearly," she whispered, combing her elegant fingers through long locks of light brown hair.
Hillary hiccuped and gave the King and Queen a look that almost make them break into tears themselves. She just looked at them. Could they take it? The bond between the young princess and her parents was most likely stronger than anything she had.
With a few muffled sniffs and sobs, she choked out the cause of her outbreak, "R-r- riko..."
The two looked at her in alarm. Was their daughter even capable of making people cry tears of sadness? Did something happen to her?
"What? What about Riko?" the King asked, praying for the best.
Hillary could only give a bittersweet smile to the hope she saw in the King's emerald eyes, "She's gone."
The Queen let out an unbelieving gasp. Her daughter? The one she and her husband raised themselves for nearly three years. She a hot sting in her eyes. Where was her daughter? She knew Hillary wouldn't lie. She knew that her daughter wouldn't wander off somewhere by herself, let alone leave her room unless she was going to them. So where was her daughter? It was then when the tears began to overflow.
"No... no," she murmured, covering her face in agony.
The King could feel his own eyes water from his wife's reaction. His beautiful, beautiful daughter... was gone? He refused to believe it. With a slight tremor in his step, he stumbled outside of the door.
"GUARDS!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.
If he knew his daughter well enough, he knew that something must have happened to her to cause the disappearance. Even with the possibility that she might be completely safe and sound, he wanted absolutely no chances. When a small group of guards appeared, he growled, unsatisfied. A small group of men would not be enough to find his child.
"I want you to tell everyone in the kingdom to search for Princess Riko! I don't care if every pebble in this world is unturned! Look everywhere until you find my daughter," he ground out, trying to appear as firm as he could.
"Something has happened to m'lady?" one guard asked in surprise.
The king shut his eyes as tight as he could, trying to prevent the waterworks from showing. He turned his back to them, and they knew not to ask any more questions. Once he was sure that there was no one left around him besides his wife and Hillary, he knew he could hold back his tears no longer. He fell to his knees and cried out as if he was in pain. Physically, he wasn't, but emotionally, there was to be a scar that would not heal until his daughter returned to him, alive and well. If she didn't... The king sobbed harder, his cries of desperation mixing with his wife's. What had they done to deserve such a punishment? Why didn't they take away his thrown instead? Why his daughter? So many unanswerable questions bounced through his mind, each making more tears flow.
"Riko... Riko," the parents wailed.
Hillary was curled into a little ball, her arms wrapped around herself in a desperate hug. Her tears had begun to run out, but that didn't mean her heart had been healed in the slightest. She knew the King and Queen were more devastated than she, but it still hurt. The feelings inside her were those of bitterness, anguish, and pain.
Where was dear little Riko? They all wondered as their cries rang through the day. All refusing to leave their sob spot. Their hearts yearned for a little girl that wasn't there. That fact only added to their depression.
Stephen was the first to stop his sobs. Wearily, he got up from where he was kneeling to the bathroom. His eyes were puffy and bloodshot, and his face was completely coated with tears. As he looked into the mirror, he could only glare. A dark cloud loomed over the head of the once cheerful king, but he didn't care. All he wanted was his daughter back. His deep emerald eyes looked into the ones that reflected in the mirror with bitterness, as if blaming the other for her disappearance. He would get her back though. He swore on Hollywood's happiness, he would get her back.