I realise I should be updating my other fics instead of writing new ones, but this idea wouldn't stop bothering me. I guess you can say that this fic is a bit of a mix between Snow White and The Huntsman, Shrek and Tangled. You might notice some similar plots to said stories.
Summary: Ike is sent on a quest and he doesn't like it, not one bit.
"You want me to do what?" Ike asks, his tone full of utter disbelief. He knew there was something fishy when the King had called for him but he never expected this, never this. He shuffles his feet on the shiny and pale white marble floor watching said King sitting on his gold throne intently for any signs of jest. The King just had to be kidding.
"Rescue the princess in the tower settled upon Death Mountain and return her to me!" says King Dedede jovially as if he's asking Ike to perform a tap dance or something.
Ike almost laughs at the situation but stops himself in time to put on his dead serious face. He really did hear the King say what he thought he did. "You do know she's just a legend, right? She's a made-up princess created by old wives to colour children's bedtime stories. I honestly don't think there's a point for me going. I'll probably end up dead." Which is possibly what he's aiming for, thinks Ike grimly.
"Yes, well there is a possibility of that event occurring but never mind that. All I want is the princess," says the King, completely ignoring what he's just been told.
Ike is about to open his mouth to argue again but gives up. No point in reasoning with a crack pot, is there?
"Why me? Why not use your own men? You've got plenty," points out Ike instead.
"Yes, well, I appreciate the idea but I already have sent many and they've all met the same fate," answers King Dedede, "I've chosen you mostly because of the rumours I've heard about you."
Ike crosses his arms across his chest and narrows his eyes. "And what rumours are said about me? I've never heard any."
King Dedede leans forward, "You're a talented swordsman, don't deny that. I've had numerous guards complain about you and your abilities. It only makes sense then to send someone like you on this daring quest."
King Dedede then jumps off his throne and strolls nearer to Ike, his heavy steps making the chandelier above rattle. "If you succeed in rescuing the princess, all your sentences will be lifted and you'll be a free man."
Ike narrows his eyes, considering the offer. "All my sentences?"
"All your sentences, yes," confirms King Dedede, "Will you do it then?"
"No," Ike answers quick and fast.
"Did you even think it over?" asks King Dedede with a sigh.
"Yes."
"And?"
Ike shrugs. "And nothing. I'm still not doing it. I'd rather rot in jail than chase after a fairy-tale princess."
King Dedede watches him closely and turns to walk back towards his throne. "I was worried you might say that, so I made special arrangements in order for you to get your motivation ready."
He nods in the direction of a guard standing on his left next to a large wooden double door. The guard nods in return and opens it to reveal a young girl bound by rope and held down by two white armored guards.
"Ike!" she screams as she struggles against their hold. Her brunette hair is stuck up and messy and her eyes lightened with fear.
Ike's eyes widen when he sees his sister. "Mist!" he yells back and moves a foot in her direction but is stopped when the guard next to him prods a spear in his waist.
"Ah!" he lets out as he feels the sharp point dig in his flesh. "Let her go!" he shouts at King Dedede, desperation shaking his voice.
King Dedede plops down upon his throne and smiles menacingly. "So, will you comply? Or will I have to send your precious little sister to the gallows, if not?"
"What happens to my sister if I don't return?"
"Your sister will die," King Dedede says with a weak flap of his hand, "I'll put it simple for you: return the princess, your sister lives or don't return the princess, your sister dies. Take your pick."
Ike's insides lurch at the fear of losing his sister. "No," he breathes, "I'll do it. I'll rescue your stupid princess. I promise."
"Good!" exclaims King Dedede happily, "You'll leave now in order to make up wasted time."
Ike feels the guards take him by the arms and attempt to drag him away. "My sister!" he yells, "Promise me you'll keep her safe!"
"Only if you keep yours," King Dedede calls after him in a cheery tone, waving him off.
"Beware of Dragons," reads Ike out loud from the rotting sign post placed five meters from a rickety bridge leading to the castle, where the princess is supposedly imprisoned.
Ike snorts loudly and stands back to take a good look at the looming castle before him. There's a dark grey cloud circling over the highest tower against the murky orange sky. He wonders for a moment if the princess is in the highest tower like they normally are. Shrugging, Ike walks over to the bridge with hesitant steps.
Getting to Death Mountain wasn't much a problem, anyone could do it; the real problem, Ike realised, was getting over this bridge alive. He didn't quite like the fact that the first step he had taken caused the old plank to break in two and fall to the lava below in the volcano.
I have to do this or the King is going to kill Mist, thinks Ike as his shaking hands clutch the sides of the bridge. His hands grip the rope and stick due to his sweaty palms. Hesitantly he makes for the second plank and lightly places his foot on it. After a few moments of making sure it's sturdy, he takes a deep breath and places both feet on it.
Oh, well, that wasn't too bad, thinks Ike as he takes another step, forgetting to check. The plank breaks into pieces and Ike is forced to take one hell of a large step to the next one. The volcano unexpectedly rumbles and moans, causing the bridge to sway and Ike to bolt along the bridge.
Ike feels like he's hopping from stepping stones except these ones are much more fragile and falling off means incineration by lava. Not fun at all, he muses as he narrowly misses a plank that's beginning to break. He eventually makes it over the bridge and collapses on the stone path up to the main doors of the castle in exhaustion.
Looking back towards the near-destroyed bridge, Ike wonders grimly how he's going to get the princess over it. Maybe I could toss her over and hope for the best? he thinks, smiling to himself and batting it away. He gets up, wipes the knees of his trousers and makes his way to the main doors.
Fortunately for him, the King had given him a full suit of armor and a sword, albeit cheap and fairly useless, it was better than nothing. He didn't quite believe the sign about dragons mainly because he didn't believe in dragons existing at all, but the sword in his hand (again cheap and flimsy) would be fair enough to hold it back for a while. He hopes.
He approaches a set of stairs that seem to lead to where the highest tower is and climbs them in every hope of finding the princess so he can be free of this wretched place. What he doesn't see is a pair of amber snake-like eyes watching him through a crack in the wall.
When he arrives at the top of the stairs in what he's assuming is the highest tower, he sees a fancy looking door with intricate rose patterns. He touches the patterns with a delicate hand and slides his hand down towards the doorknob with his other hand clenching the sword.
The door surprisingly doesn't creak and opens easily. Ike opens the door fully and stands in the doorway. The princess, Ike thinks gratefully when his eyes lock on a figure lying on a four poster bed. He can just make out the shape of its inhabitant through the translucent curtains and breathes out a sigh of relief.
He debates with himself whether to leave the sword by the door or take it with him and decides on the latter. He first thought that it might scare her, then he thought that he'd probably look more knightly with it and impress her. Wait what? he thinks with a groan and rolls his eyes. She's for the King not me, idiot, he argues in his head.
He ends up taking the sword with him and slowly walks over to the bed. Taking a deep breath, he pulls the curtain to reveal the princess. Her face is covered by a veil but Ike thinks that she must be sleeping as he can hear soft exhalations of breath.
He's about to lean down to remove the veil when he notices a note buried between her hands. He gently takes it and reads it in his head. Awaken me with a kiss to break the spell binding me, oh courageous Knight, he reads, snorting because it doesn't even rhyme. So he crumples the paper in his fist and throws it over his shoulder.
Oh well, if she wants a kiss off a random stranger, he thinks as he continues to lean down, his hands uncovering the veil from her face. I'll be happy to-
SLAP!
Ike howls in pain as the stinging sensation on his cheek sends his body into a weird hopping dance. He hops back and clenches his cheek, eyes shut tight.
"Don't kiss me idiot!" shouts a voice, making Ike freeze and turn from the wall he's leaning on to the direction of the voice.
His eyes widen and the breath in his throat hitches. "What?!"
Thanks for reading.
