A/N: Hello, everyone! This fic of mine needs to be explained a little first, so please bear with me for the next paragraph. I wrote 'Ripples' for my friend, Scooby2408- please go read her fic- as part of her birthday present. As such, it is written designed specifically for her; which means it has a little more melodrama then I usually like, some inside jokes and, more importantly, it has some original characters from my other fics, not to mention alternate versions of myself and my friends running about. If you don't like that sort of thing- and normally, I must confess, I hate self-insertions and only write them for Scooby- please feel free to leave now. Otherwise, please enjoy the story!
…Oh, one more thing. The scene at the start of the fic is taken from the world of Scooby's 'The Flight of Dreams', which is her fic where she, our other friends and I take the place of the Yu-Gi-Oh characters. Please read it! Anyhoo, the opening scene is set at the part of the memory ark, on the boat towards the sacred duel thing. I couldn't remember the names Scooby uses when I wrote this, but here's how they line up: Izzy becomes Danielle (Scooby), Alyssa becomes Jozan (Me!), Cassie becomes Amnis, Sam becomes Cloward, and Jenny becomes Karne. I think. (Sweatdrop) Still not too good with the names…
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh. I only own all the original bits of the story (duh) and the characters that aren't real people who obviously own themselves. :D
False names are used to protect the innocent… the readers! XD
Wow, that was a depressingly long note! Thanks for sticking with me! Without further ado, I shall present Ripples. Happy birthday, Scooby!
RIPPLES
Once Upon a Time, in a land far, far
Far
Away…
Part One- Royalty
Danielle hung over the edge of the stationary boat, silently looking out to sea. The others had all disappeared below the deck, and the she was alone. Even her Yami had withdrawn from her. Perhaps he was running the events of the past through his mind just as she was. Places they'd been, people they'd met, duels won and lost- More often won. The next duel would be the last, though. Then she really would be alone.
"Mmm, the air feels good…" Jo stated, announcing her presence on the deck. So much had changed in Danielle's life, and so much would be different by this time the next day, but Jo had remained a constant fixture. She had always been there. "After being in ancient Egypt all that time, it feels nice to have some wind off the sea!"
"Yeah…" Danielle agreed, half-heartedly. Jo came to join her by the railing, as the boat began to judder slightly. It was almost time to go.
"Have you decided who's going to duel the Pharaoh yet?" Blunt as ever.
Danielle nodded. "I will."
"I thought you might say that." Jo smiled wryly, before looking down to the water, an inky blue colour as the evening progressed toward night. As another breath of wind flew over the water, the liquid itself moved and was alive. The trees tossed, and a leaf detached, dropping into the water, and sending ripples out all around it.
"Some people say…" Jo began, watching as the patterns spread. "That if you look into ripples you can see the future; or that ripples can show you another world, where everything and everyone is just a little different. Mistakes you've made, good things you've done, every decision- all different. New places and new circumstances… New personalities."
Danielle stared down to, but all she could see was the reflections of the stars before the boat started to move and the ripples were consumed by the spray from the engines propelling them through the water.
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The girl was lead towards the edge of the pond, not doubting her mother for a moment. The rest of the village was gathered around, waiting, with bated breath. As they came closer, the mother let go of the girl's hand, pushing her gently towards the clear water. She knew what she was supposed to do. She had been taught what she would have to do on the day she turned five years old. Only hesitating to see if her mom was watching, she carefully selected a pebble from the ground. It took some doing, but at last she found a nice, round, smooth one, buried beneath the pine needles that littered the floor. It was just a little heavy, and felt right in her hand. This was the one.
It did not stay in her hand very long. She waded into the crystal water until she was submerged up to her ankles, and threw the stone. It arced gracefully, cutting cleanly through the air before dropping into the water with a definite 'plop'. From the epicentre of the impact, the ripples, the patterns in the water, spread. The small child scrutinised them, and then, there it was. The image was in her mind, rippling to fill her entire head, blocking out her real vision for the moment. There were wings before her, shining in the sun. They were layered and feathered, brilliant white, and she heard someone gasp and exclaim in surprise, yet compared to those wings they didn't matter- but just as she reached out to touch them, the ripples dissipated, and she turned back to face her audience, stepping out of the water, and attempting to dry her feet on the grass.
"Well?" The mayor demanded. "What did you see?"
The little girl frowned, thinking it rude to be interrupted when she was trying to get the water from her feet. However, she had always been strictly instructed that she had to be nice to the mayor. "I saw the water go funny." She described. There was a sigh of disappointment. "And then I saw some wings out in the sunshine. There were some people talking, to." She added.
Silence fell.
Suddenly, with a rumble like thunder, the assembled villagers began to cheer and jump up and down. She smiled uncertainly, not quite sure what she had done.
"Well done!" Her mother cried, scooping her up and hugging her hard. "Well done! You did it! You did it! And wings, to! That's good luck! I just know you're going to be fine now…"
That birthday, everyone seemed to want to celebrate with her. She heard a lot of people saying that they had to report this, and then maybe they wouldn't be attacked; maybe they would even get special privileges. She wasn't entirely certain of what a 'privilege' was, but it sounded good, and judging by all the grinning faces around her, it was a thing that would make them very happy. Only one face was not smiling- the face of her best friend, biting her lip and looking very worried indeed.
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There was flame everywhere. Fire, burning, and smoke. Screaming, running, panic, disorder, chaos. In the midst of it all was one very scared five year old, calling for her mother. Her mother answered, but could not reach her. They were separated by men, brandishing swords and spears, cornering them off; leaving her quite, quite alone.
"Run!" Her mother yelled. "Run, run! Go!" She did, running as fast as she could, and headlong into one of the frightening men. He took her over to a carriage, dragged her in, and shouted at the man at the front to get them out of there before they burnt to. She looked back, and saw, for the last time, the face of her friend, looking guiltier then the time that she had hidden the woodcutter's axe and forgotten where she'd put it. This time, she had not hidden an axe. So there was no reason for her to look such a way… Then the solider grabbed her head, twisting it brutally around to keep her facing the front.
This was when the little girl came to build her first solid idea of the outside world. War was a bad thing.
Twelve Years Later…
The Kingdom of Nrefder
The walls were several feet thick, hung with rose-coloured curtains and a magnificent tapestry to hide the brick. It muffled the sounds. But the wooden door only amplified them. The shutters on the windows were thrown open, despite the fact that it was night time, and sound invaded in through there to. She could hear people running backwards and forwards, and sounds of chaos and disorder. There was someone in the castle. But she did not go to face them. She'd been locked in her room, behind that heavy wooden door, and she refused to throw herself at it in an undignified manner. That didn't mean she was content to sit there, though. She just needed to find a way to sneak out. The locked door may be for her protection, but she had not given consent, and she had no intention of allowing her men to fight for her while she hid from whatever problem had emerged at this time of the night.
She stopped sitting on her bed, climbing to her feet, and going over to her wash basin. Pouring out some water, she was able to see her reflection and calmly began to fix her hair as she tried to think of a way to get out. If she was going to be in danger, negotiating, or any such matters, she wanted to look impressive. Most Princesses would not have been able to do this for themselves, but she had always been different, ever since her parents had died. Now her Uncle was the reigning Prince Regent, but it was coming to an end- the throne would be handed to her when she was eighteen, just a week away. She was determined to be a just, kind, wise ruler; like her father, but she wouldn't tolerate ambushes like this. But she didn't know how to get out of the room. It frustrated her. It almost seemed as though the tree, felled in the forest and carved into a door, was having its revenge. Staring down into the water, still moving slightly from being poured, she could see nothing but her own face. Some could see almost anything in the ripples, but she wasn't one of them. She saw short, brown hair and concerned blue eyes that seemed young and old at the same time. As always, she saw the face of Anzu, and nothing more. Not 'Her Royal Highness' or any such nonsense. If she allowed herself to think of herself as above others, she would believe herself to be invincible, and that was dangerous.
Just then, the door flew open. She turned, and, indeed, this was the one person in the castle who could divine something other than ruined reflections in ripples. He was breathing deeply, not unfit, but out of panic and exertion. He stood, his long hair even more ruffled then usual, his robes suggesting he had fallen asleep at his work again. They were simple, of black and white, with the Nrefder crest emblazoned on the back together with the insignia of a water droplet that singled him out as that country's Mage. The robes were too long, in an attempt to make him look even taller and more imposing, but only caused the sleeves to keep falling down and him to be forever tripping over the hem. It was the only thing that made him appear his age. He was no older then her, but having been in strict training and regime since he arrived at the school at the age of five, the years stretched invisibly between them. His talent was rare, and by now, honed and powerful. And yet, those powers did not seem a part of him at all.
"You must go." He urged, pushing the door shut behind him, all his usual formality gone in an emergency.
"What's happening?"
"Men are inside the castle." He replied. "They have unusual skill. I was the only one to detect them at all. They're being searched for as we speak."
Anzu relaxed slightly. "Well, then. When they're found, I want to speak to them personally."
"Your Highness, I-"
"I will be the Queen of this country in just a week, Ryou." Anzu interrupted firmly. "It is time I started acting like it. My uncle is a fine Regent, but he is no king. This is, by rights, my home and not his. I'll be the one who deals with them."
"You cannot stay here." Ryou said, desperation hinting at his voice. "…They will not be found."
Anzu bit her lip. "You mean you…"
"My very first vision was this day, this time, now." Ryou told her. "The men will not be found. But if they find you, you will be killed. You must go."
Anzu straightened up. "That would be running away."
"Yes." Ryou agreed. "Run. I'll call you when it's safe."
"I will not run." Anzu maintained, firmly.
"Your Highness…" Ryou protested. "Anzu. They're coming now. Please… Forgive me!"
She stepped back, tried to avoid it, but Ryou was a dab hand with jinxes and charms, and it reached her, locking her arms and legs together as though they were bound by rope. She was backed towards the window, and out of it, where she was lowered gently. On landing, her legs started to move of their own accord. The spell had weakened, making her move at more of a slow jogging pace than a run. Ryou was obviously being distracted. But he maintained it enough to prevent her from moving of her own will. So many times, Anzu had felt her life was like this- that it was out of her control. She stopped fighting the spell, promising that the moment Ryou delivered her to wherever he was sending her, she would head back. But before she'd even left the grounds, there were men around her. She couldn't move to fight them. She couldn't force herself into running faster. Seeing she was defenceless, they grabbed her, and although her limbs kept moving as though running, she got nowhere. She maintained a stony glare, refusing to cry out even when they gave a series of sharp raps to her head. It lolled to the side, and only then did the jinx finally remove itself from her.
The Kingdom of Noxell
The wooden staff, cut in the rough shape of a sword, came down hard and he raised an arm to defend himself, but the impact never came. As always, Jou was in control of what he was doing and stopped inches away from his face.
"Did you not teach me that the first rule of combat is not to have a soft heart?" Yugi demanded accusingly, from his undignified position, sprawling on the floor.
"Yeah, but anyone with any sort of honour doesn't hit men when they're down." Jonouchi replied, helping him to his feet. "Especially when he's already beaten that man a hundred times that day already. You're making this too easy."
"I'm sorry." Yugi apologised, picking his own disarmed staff up again. "I am in no mood to be ruthless today."
"That's why I'm supposed to be training you." Jou sighed. "But I'm beginning to think it's useless." He waved at Yugi, indicating that he should drop the attack position. "Let's leave it there for today."
"I'm sorry." Yugi sighed again. "A fine king I'll make. I'm not strong or courageous or passionate at all…"
Jonouchi hesitated before answering. "You may not be strong with your attacks, and maybe you're not hard-hearted or ruthless or a warrior; but you are a prince. You love your country and your people. They'll love you."
"Until the day we go to war."
"I am a knight, and I'm your friend." Jou reprimanded. "I'll help you. And I'll start now, by training you. Besides," He grinned. "What war? Once you marry the Princess of Nrefder, it'll bring peace to us, right?"
"That's why I'm going ahead with this." Yugi sighed. Jou attempted to look concerned, but it wasn't his strong point.
"I thought you liked her."
"Of course I do!" Yugi agreed, hastily. "She's brave and headstrong, and I've seen her at least once a year ever since I can remember. I can depend on her. I consider her a good friend… And our marriage would finally bring peace to everyone… But, considering her a friend or not, I don't love her." He looked at him slightly mournfully. "Surely, friendship would be enough…?"
"Yugi…" Jou said slowly. "I know about swords and sharp pointy things, but not much else. Still, if there's one thing I've learnt it's that power comes at a price. Perhaps for you, that price is… well, love." He shrugged. "We don't have the memories so many older people do. We've only ever known this… this uneasy peace. But there are people who remember the horrors of that war… you're the hope for them. You're the Prince. I hate to say it, but you just can't get cold feet on this."
Yugi was saved from replying from the door to the courtyard where they spoke creaking slowly open. A girl stepped out onto the wooden walkway, burdened with a large basket that she carefully manovered out of the thin doorway while trying to put on her outdoor shoes without the help of a maid in the way Yugi and Jou had. The basket was a large, wicker affair that only just made it out. It was empty for the moment, but when she returned, it would be bursting to the seams with unusual plants, herbs, leaves, shoots, roots, fungi, seeds. This girl, only slightly younger then the other two, was the Royal Mage for Noxell. People were older than their years in the country these days. Although only seventeen, she'd been in training for many years, and was now a master magician. Her specialty was in plants and herbs, and exploiting the natural properties in combination with her magic. And, apparently, it was time for her to go collecting again.
The Palace was orderly, and worked to routines. Just as Yugi was used to training each morning with his oldest friend and most loyal knight, they were used to seeing her passing by on her mysterious way. Indeed, no-one knew where she went to find her ingredients, just that she returned by midday with them. The mystery carried through to the rest of her life. Efficient and business like, no-one knew very much about her past. Presumably, like all the Mages, she'd left home at five to come and train, and had then been chosen to be taken to the palace at the age of ten, where she'd been living under the sloping, tiled rooves for the last seven years. Jonouchi could still remember the day she'd come. He'd been mucking out the stables that housed the Knight's horses, but he'd snuck out to see her arrival, in a grand carriage. She'd been escorted straight into the palace, and that was the last he'd seen of her until the party later that evening. Magic fades with age, so this young girl should bring new life to the Palace. No-one spoke of what would happen to her at the age of about twenty-five, when her magic would be completely gone; just as when Jonouchi became a full knight at the age of thirteen, no-one pointed out that he may end up in battle, that he may not live much longer should it come to war.
People were older then their years in the country these days.
Yugi was watching her pass, her hood pulled up as usual, navy-blue cloak ruffling in the slight breeze. There had to be something magical about that cloak, otherwise, in weather such as this, there was no point in it. It certainly seemed to have enchanted Yugi. She stopped, pausing on her way, and looked at the Prince. He went to go and talk to her. Sighing, Jou gave up, and went to supervise preparations for their journey the next day.
"Of all the times for her to show up…" He grumbled to himself, then sighed. "I wish it didn't have to be this way…"
Meanwhile, outside, the Mage bowed as the Prince came closer.
"Danielle…" He said, embarrassed. "There's really no need for that."
She shrugged, then, cutting straight to the point, asked him outright. "You're leaving tomorrow, correct?"
"That's right." Yugi nodded. "It's Anzu's eighteenth birthday next week, and the coronation just after that. It's expected that while we're there, the Prince Regent will… will want to make my engagement to his niece official. I'll be gone probably about a month or so, and then I'll have to go back in a year or two, so we can actually…"
"I know." Danielle answered, shortly. Yugi nodded again. Sometimes he forgot that she could know anything she wanted, if she could just examine the ripples in a moving body of water. "I want to accompany you."
"But… why?" Yugi asked, puzzled.
"I don't know." She admitted, letting the ghost of a sheepish smile onto her face. She was always unnaturally guarded against the Prince, who was, after all, just a boy she had grown up with. "But I saw myself leaving with you."
"Then I suppose I can't argue…" Yugi said, slowly. "But Jou won't be happy…"
And, indeed, he wasn't.
"We can't do that!" Jonouchi kept insisting. "Places in Nrefder are still hostile towards us! If we go in with a Mage, it'll look like we're going in expecting trouble! Trust me on this, Yugi, it's best if she doesn't come. You tell her, you're the Prince, she has to listen to you…"
But, of course, when she returned from her foraging and he explained this, she didn't see it that way.
"I must come." She insisted. "If I saw myself coming with you, then there must be a reason." She fell silent, having reached her small room that was in the cornerstone of the Nrefder-facing castle. A large window let light in, but it was dim, because the shelves that ran from floor to ceiling covered that to; making the light fall in bars of brightness and shadows. The shelves were also on the back of the door, but, by some miracle or spell, the things didn't fall off the shelves when you slid it open. However, it made it dizzying inside, so Yugi didn't shut the door behind him; worried he'd never find the way out. The shelves were piled high with bottles and boxes and jars, filled with plants loose, pickled, peppered, or half-eaten. Some of the more sinister items weren't plants at all- at least, none he knew. There were also books, on every subject known to man, a wider variety even then the castle's own library. They were catalogued in perfect order- that was incomprehensible to everyone except the Mage herself- standing straighter then soldiers on parade. Yet, despite the fact everything was sorted and organised, there was so much crammed in that it seemed cluttered and chaotic; and no spell would be able to change it. The room was simply bursting at the seams. Danielle struggled to find a space for her new items, and Yugi watched in disbelief as she managed it. Next, it was time to find the desk.
Lack of sleep, sugar, and eleven year old Mages do not mix. That summer, she had been working particularly hard on a spell. The country was suffering a blight of frogs turning inexplicably vegetarian and so eating all their farmers' crops. They had developed a powder to turn the frogs back to their old ways, but distribution was slow. Danielle had been working very hard indeed on a spell that would send them flying to their destinations with no human assistance. She had been working so hard that she had to consume plenty of sugar to keep herself awake, but it had been to no avail. She had collapsed, falling asleep at the desk, head straight into the sugar bag, spilling it everywhere. It turned out sugar was the key to activating the spell, as when she murmured the words in her sleep, the desk had suddenly sprung into activity. With no real destination, it had run around the castle and the grounds for a while, crashing through ornamental waterfalls and carefully arranged rockeries, shrubberies, and the trees dotted around, even managing to fall into the koi pond before eventually being caught by the guards. However, by then, Danielle had grown rather attached to it. And so, it had come to pass that she had an enchanted and rather mischievous desk that she had passed many a winter's evening teaching party tricks, such as how to change itself different colours, and invisible. Now, it was pulling that trick again.
"Peg Leg." She called, wearily, using its pet name. Having chased it round the grounds for well over an hour, and exhausted and enraged young squire by the name of Jonouchi had used the name as an insult; and, since then, it had stuck. "I'm not in the mood…"
The desk pulled itself out from where it had been hiding, blending with the shelves and walls around it, the clutter unnoticeable against the rest, and meekly put itself back in it's proper position. Danielle began sorting through the papers upon it, but hardly seemed to be seeing them, seeming flustered.
"What's the matter?" Yugi asked, eying Peg Leg warily. The desk had taken a likening to him, and liked to jump on him most of all.
"I tried to get more information from the Ripples," Danielle replied, frowning as she indicated the bowl of water left on Peg Leg for that express purpose. "But there was nothing. Just water. Either I'm losing my powers, or there's something weird going on."
"In other words, you're coming out of curiosity." Yugi sighed.
"No." Danielle shook her head. "I wouldn't come if I could possibly avoid it. But shields and swords are no use against spells. I must come."
"But when we return…" Yugi muttered, not looking at her. "I shall probably be engaged…" He bit his lip. "Doesn't that… bother you?"
It was some time before Danielle answered him. "If you marry Princess Anzu, even when you're both so young, it will be good for Noxell, and for Nrefder. With so many people being helped, why would it bother me? My advice, your Highness, would be to go through with it." She stood abruptly, heading towards the door, picking her staff up from the corner.
"You don't need to call me 'Your Highness'." Yugi told her, quietly. "We're old friends."
"Forgive me, your Highness," She replied. "But I think it's easier this way. I'll see you tomorrow."
Then, she left; leaving Yugi alone, with the exception of an unusually energetic desk.
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Ryou woke up with a mouth full of blood. On impulse, he spat it out, making an unpleasant stain on the Princess' bedroom floor. But it could be cleaned easily enough. Using one of the ornate tapestries as support, he clambered groggily to his feet, trying to push the pain in his head aside so he could think. He was good at thinking, but unfortunately, not much else.
Men had come to Nrefder castle, with the intention of either killing or taking the Princess, he wasn't sure. All those years ago, in a small town on the coast, he had thrown a rock into the sea on his fifth birthday and had seen the men taking the Princess, under a fine summer sunset. Of course, at the time, he had not known that this was the Princess of his country twelve years on, but that had come in time. And so, every summer, the guards had been extra alert; yet, in the long run, it had made no difference. They had got into the Castle, and though he had managed to get the Princess safely out of the room, they hadn't been too happy with him. Normally, even five skilled assassins such as they were would have been no match for him and his magic tricks, but his attention had been divided, trying to keep up the walking spell on Anzu. They must have knocked him out- he was lucky they'd decided not to kill him. Perhaps they'd tried to. He fingered the small, oval pendant under his robes and decided they must have tried to kill him, but succeeded only in knocking him out. That would be why he was so groggy…
And when he was out, the spell on Anzu would have failed.
Hastily, he shut his eyes, reaching out with his mind to try and find her. She wasn't in the castle. Heart heavy with dread, he moved out to search as far as he could. Before his mind could go out of the town, though, he was shook rudely back to reality, and found himself face-to-face with the Prince Regent himself, who wasn't looking too happy.
"Don't bother." He said, roughly, knowing full well what Ryou was doing. Once, before he had got older, he had been able to use magic to. "Now, stand up, and come with me."
The Prince Regent, Anzu's uncle, was a man of very few words, even more so since his brother's death. He wasn't comfortable running Nrefder either, and while he had kept everything afloat, he had changed nothing, made nothing better- the upside being he had made nothing worse. His role had merely to watch the country until Anzu was old enough to take her rightful place on the throne. Unfortunately, with just a week to go the celebrations, she had disappeared. And the Mage, following behind him, was partly to blame.
"I assume it was you who put the Walking Hex onto Anzu?" He asked, gruffly.
"That's correct…" Ryou answered, cautiously.
"Then you got distracted." He continued. "So she was too slow, and completely unable to defend herself."
Ryou stopped dead, staring at him. He couldn't even bring himself to ask.
"The men caught her. While we were running around inside looking for them, they escaped out of the front." Ryou stared at the floor, but the Regent, business-like as ever, continued his matter-of-fact monologue with barely a pause in the narrative. "This is a vital time for us. When Anzu turns eighteen, this country will have a new ruler, and things are all ready for an alliance between us and Noxell- between her and Yugi, in marriage. He's due to arrive today, on top of it all, and he may be a little surprised to find the Birthday girl isn't here." He turned to face Ryou. "So, we have a kidnapped Princess on our hands. And if you couldn't stop them, we're going to need our very best knight. Find him."
Ryou bit his lip. "But I've tried to find him before, it's never worked! I don't know how, but he's beyond any reach of my magic…"
"Then find him on foot." The man shrugged, heading out into the grounds in front of the castle. "I don't care! We must get the Princess back, and he is the only one with a hope!"
"Are you sure?" Ryou asked, shortly. "I would advise against it. He serves the Kingdom, not the King. He comes and goes as he pleases, and sticks to no code of honour of ours- he follows his own agenda… He's only a knight at all to ensure he won't turn against us!"
"Find him." The Prince Regent repeated, again, heading off to see to the remainder of his men. Ryou, not knowing what else to do, went towards the entrance of the castle. The Knight really was like the wind. He came invisibly and left as mysteriously, and certainly seemed to have no loyalty besides his word to Nrefder. What worried Ryou, however, was that he seemed to simply disappear for months on end, beyond even his magic. He only turned up when he was needed.
"How am I supposed to find him…?" Ryou wondered aloud.
"If I am 'him'," The characteristic voice replied. "Calm down. I'm here."
Ryou sighed again, and turned, smiling wryly. "I knew you'd show up if I said that. You really are one for dramatics, aren't you Seto?" Then he frowned. "I'm glad you're here, but couldn't you have made it an hour earlier? You could have stopped all this!"
"I have no time for dramatics. I'm here to do a job, and then I'm leaving." Seto stated, matter-of-factly.
"Well, you might want to wait a minute." Ryou answered, swallowing nervously. "It seems our guests are here."
"Oh, and the house is such a mess." Seto answered sarcastically, ignoring the visitors and heading towards the stable with his horse.
"You could at least pretend to care…" Ryou protested weakly, following after him.
"I've never done any such thing. Why should I begin now?" Seto did not turn around, didn't even slow his pace. "It's as you say- I have no loyalty to any person. Let's make this clear- my motives are my own. And if I do not make way for the Monarchy of my own country, I certainly won't do it for another."
"Fine…" Ryou sighed. "But… Will you help me rescue her?"
"You?" Seto, for once, looked taken aback as he passed his horse over to the blond haired stable hand who rushed eagerly to collect it. Ryou watched as the bay horse was lead away. He had no idea of it's name- Seto was an unusual knight. He was never seen on the same horse more than once, and had no land of his own. His knighthood really was just to ensure his loyalty. "I don't think you realise the danger, my dear mage. Blood will be shed. Don't your kind usually run and interfere only from a safe distance?"
"Usually." Ryou conceded, quietly. "But this is my fault. I will have a part in rectifying it."
Before Seto could reply, the Prince Regent and a host of household staff arrived to greet the guests, and, as one of the prominent members of the palace, Ryou hurried to join them, nearly tripping over the hem of his robe as he went. Seto raised an eyebrow slightly. Ryou was not the sort of person he would pick to take on a quest.
Cloward lead the horse that she had just relieved Seto of into the stables, absently stroking its neck. It was a beautiful horse, and so calm, she could hardly picture it dashing into battle. And yet, if it belonged to the infamous Knight of the Silent Wind, then he must be more ruthless than he appeared. Although some argued Seto was just a normal person undeserving of the name given to him, there was no doubt that he came and went without warning, with seemingly no pattern or way of knowing when he would be needed; and yet, he did. Perhaps he had magical powers to…
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"Did you hear that?" She asked her companion, pushing Seto's bay into an empty stall and checking that the door was secure. It wouldn't do them to lose the horse of such a very important person. "He's here. But he's going after the Princess, and the Mage is going with him. Should I send a message, do you think?"
"Not yet." Karne replied, continuing to shovel haylege into some of the empty nets, which looked downcast, deflated and empty, doing the work stable hands had every day; despite the fact that, in the palace, this was no normal day. She pulled a stalk from between her fingers before continuing. "The Prince and his party have just arrived. We may as well wait and see what they decide to do first."
Cloward nodded, and began innocently fussing over the horses like nothing had passed in amongst the smells of hay, horse, and dung that afternoon.
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Yugi, Jonouchi and Danielle set out the very next morning for the neighbouring kingdom. Although they were a small group, they were safe- Yugi was sure that between his best Knight and the Royal Mage he'd been fine even travelling through hostile territory. Yet, his heart was as heavy as the saddle bags they'd packed for the journey. He almost couldn't stand it. He had a great deal of respect for Anzu, he liked her, and he was sure she would make a fine queen. But… he felt far too young to be even thinking of marriage yet.
When he looked at his companions, though, he knew he had no right to feel too young for anything. Jonouchi had come to the castle at the age of four, and had been made into a stable hand. From there, he got into tussles with the other boys, and by the age of seven was squired to one of the knights. At thirteen, he was made a knight- ready to fight, and to die for Noxell. And now, at eighteen, he was still riding with a sword at his side, still living for Noxell and not himself. Yugi was not sure what had happened in those first four years of Jou's life, but he did know the other didn't want to tell him, and he knew that Jou could sober up from his optimistic self in a second and act twice his age.
Danielle, to, rode silently at his other side, absorbed in her own thoughts, her navy cloak present as always. She was seventeen, just a few months younger then them, but she seemed to have lead two or three lives already. She'd come to the castle at the age of ten and immediately began work as the Royal Mage. When her powers faded, she would probably be as good as discarded- reduced to working as a kind of glorified maid or teaching younger children with the ability. He'd heard she herself had come into this training when she was five, like every other child who had the talent to read ripples, but beyond that, he knew very little about her. He wasn't even sure 'Danielle' was her name. She'd left her home and family, wherever and whoever they were, behind at the age of five. Yugi couldn't complain about being too young for anything.
"We're making good progress!" Jonouchi said cheerily, as they stayed at the house of a Lord that first night. He was in a good mood- the one advantage of travelling with the Prince was that there was no sleeping rough. "At this rate, we'll be in a position to cross the border late tomorrow evening!"
"Where are we crossing?" Danielle inquired, making them both jump. Even by her standards, she'd been unnaturally quiet, remaining almost silent the entire day, bar responding to Jou's bait about her riding capability.
"Just outside Doneet village." He answered. "Otherwise, we'll have to go all the way around the outside of the Scar!"
Yugi sighed. "Don't tell me you believe that superstition… We could just as easily go through it!"
Danielle shook her head. "I wouldn't recommend it. Maybe it's not ghosts in there, but it's something…Besides," she shrugged "Doneet is closer. And we wouldn't want Jonouchi to lose his nerve…" She turned to Jonouchi and smirked.
As Jou began to argue with the Mage, Yugi attempted to tune them out, lying down on one of the room's beds. He had to admit, he was curious about the Scar, but it would probably be foolish to pursue that interest if Danielle and Jou were actually agreeing on something. The Scar was not the forest's real name, of course; it's geographical name was Border Forest, but that name was neither as accurate or as interesting. While it was true it marked the borderline between Noxell and Nrefder, and had done for centuries, it had come over time to be known as 'The Scar'. The reason for this was simple- in the years of war between Noxell and Nrefder, the immense forest was good cover for an army, and both sides knew it. The forest extended equally on both sides, although there was no clear marker which bits belonged to who, and extended a good long way. The maze of trees spread for miles in all directions, and were said to grow so close together that the floor and the sky both seemed black beneath the trees; but if that was true, Yugi didn't know how the plants survived in the dark. Still, there was no doubt it was gargantuan- they had been riding alongside it for the last hour or so before they'd arrived. However, for a while, this vegetation had not been so thick nor as flourishing. When the countries had been fighting, a lot had taken place there, and the cover of the trees had been raked and worn away as the forest gradually metamorphosed into No Man's Land.
Yugi did not remember the days when the Forest had been anything but, and the days of the war had been over before he was born. No-one had won, in the end a compromise was made as the men refused to fight and the resources were drained. The Forest had re-grown, and behind it the countries went about their business and tried to ignore the other- until now. In order for both countries to have assurance that an alliance was possible, it seemed they needed to know the other wasn't preparing a surprise attack, and in order to do that, it seemed they needed him to be engaged to Anzu. Yugi couldn't help but wonder if all the training Jou was giving him was worth anything- it seemed that the only way he could help his people was through political manoveres and deals. He had no problem with that, but sometimes he just wanted to do something more active to help. He was, with all frills stripped away, bored. Once again, he sighed in discontent. Danielle had finished teasing Jonouchi- a sure sign she, at least, was more relaxed out here then surrounded by the oppressive castle walls- and bid them goodnight, heading to her own room. She opened the door, and as she began to walk away, Yugi heard her being waylaid by the son of their host.
He silently began to prepare for sleep. He'd been riding all day, and his mood was not improving.
Danielle left the room Yugi was sharing with Jou- There was enough rooms for them to have one each, certainly, but Jou had insisted with his pig-headed stubbornness and dog-like loyalty that he was in the same room and Yugi- and began the short journey down the corridor to her own room. She was looking forward to bed, that was for sure. Something about riding didn't agree with her. Or perhaps it was the horse. She was sorely tempted to summon Peg Leg to her and ride him instead, but that might attract attention. Still, according to Jou, they should cross the border the next day. It was almost a shame. She was quite enjoying the journey. It was a completely new experience for her- she hadn't set foot out of the castle besides her foraging since she had entered it seven years ago, and before that, she had been confined to the school in Filey, on Noxell's coast. This really was her first experience of travelling, and she loved every minute, with the possible exception of the riding part. For the first time since she could remember, she wasn't a tool. Her job wasn't sitting and waiting for anyone in the castle or the surrounding town to come and ask her for a spell, potion or pill and then concede to their every command. Away from the austerity of the castle, she felt more relaxed then she ever could be in the pressed and formal atmosphere of the Palace, where every impression counted. This was a good thing, as she had a lot of teasing to catch up with. She finally felt she could act with the other two as if they were all old friends, which was the right and proper way things should be, as she'd known them so long.
Although Lord Creighton's estate was not at all what she was used to, made with far more stone and far less wood, with turrets and spirals as if it was in Nrefder, and she thought the stuffed animals, tapestries, and heavy portraits hanging on the walls in very poor taste, she loved the carpet. In the parts of the Palace that she frequented, the floors were made of rough wood, some of them outdoors as they led from building to building, none any more then a storey high, and even in the posher buildings, where she rarely visited, the floors were merely highly polished wood, just as everywhere else in Noxell- it wasn't that she wasn't allowed in the posher parts of the castle, it was that she preferred to avoid them- and the softness here, red with speckles of gold, shimmering in the light of the flames, delighted her. She understood how the flames of the lamp felt- desperately trying to get away, and yet needing the lamp to survive, and wanting something it couldn't have, those golden sparkles that were just unobtainable…
A cough alerted her to the presence behind her, and she forced herself to be still- just because she was startled didn't mean she could show it. Suddenly, she became aware of how exposed she was in comparison to usual. She had put her cloak in her room earlier that day, along with her spare shoes and the short, sleeveless jacket she usually wore. She was there, bear-footed as her outdoor shoes she had left at the doorway and the light slipper-like sandals for indoors were in her room, wearing only the simple tan dress that people hardly ever caught a glimpse of; and the Lord's son- she hadn't caught his name, although she had gone through the motions of the formal introductions- made the most of it, flicking his eyes up and down in a way that made her very uncomfortable, before settling on her face and meeting her eyes.
"Good evening." He said, calmly.
"Good evening." She replied, giving a quick bow and trying not to show how uncomfortable she was.
"I wonder if you'd be so kind as to step out with me into the garden…?"
Danielle thought furiously. She did not want to go anywhere with a man who slaughtered animals to display them on their father's walls, for he had boasted to her earlier while showing them around the place about his 'sport'. Now, she was a master of magic, staring people down, and polite declination. It seemed here she would have to resort to at least two of them.
"The Master's invitation is very kind…" She said, trying to sound very sincere, whilst looking him boldly in the eye with a look that had stopped even the pushiest customers in their tracks. "But it has been a long day and I am very tired…"
"This will only take a second…" He promised, beginning back along the carpeted floors towards the door, beckoning for her to follow. Heart sinking, Danielle realised there was no way for it to be avoided without insulting her host, so she followed him. The carpet eventually gave way to wooden flooring- for no Lord was rich enough to have carpet all through the house, and it just wasn't practical- and she felt slightly better with the familiar knots and whirls beneath her feet. Yet, she felt like she was back at the palace again, ready to do whatever was asked of her… She was almost certain he didn't just want her company. To her surprise, he drew back one of the sliding doors, and, in his arrogance, waited a good minute for a maid to come and help him with his shoes before stepping out. Then he turned and looked at her expectantly.
"I… I don't have any shoes." Danielle explained, hoping against hope this would excuse her. He sighed impatiently.
"Where are they?"
"I took them off in the main entrance."
He sighed again. It was a curious sound, coming more from his nose then his mouth, reminding Danielle of a horses' sneeze. "We're not waiting for someone to fetch them! You shall have to come as you are." When she hesitated, he snorted. "Don't be so arrogant! It won't kill you to feel grass beneath your feet!"
Danielle murmured an apology, but the words felt like the poisonous Funke Yurin toadstool on her tongue. She apologised because she had no other choice, but inside she was screaming at this hypocrite. As soon as she stepped down, he started off again, not even waiting for her to draw level with him, but leaving her to trail behind him like a reluctant dog. However, he had made one valid point- the grass did feel nice beneath her feet, and she paused a moment, feeling the cool soil beneath her toes, and looked up at the stars. Beneath the soft glow, a wind, carrying the chills of early autumn swerved to avoid her, and broke into millions of tendrils as it impacted on her skin. She could almost have forgotten her companion, had he not tutted in impatience once more for her to follow.
They walked through the moonlight garden, Danielle's detest of him sufficient enough to keep her a good two or three paces behind him at all times. They bent round through an alley of yew trees, before coming to the side of a pool, well-kept by the gardeners, with only the tears of a weeping willow tree and the reflections of the moon and stars snaking into the water. She had been right. Like everyone else, he merely wanted her to do a reading. And the sooner she did, the sooner she could go to bed…
"Please," he said, suddenly all polite again, "Oblige me by looking into the Ripples, and tell me what you see."
Silently, Danielle moved closer to the edge of the pool, waiting for the next gust of wind to send patterns skittering across the water's surface, and trying to focus her mind on the young Lord Creighton. Her mind, however, was tired and thoughts ran from it just as rain ran down from the eaves and guttering of the palace during the rainy season; and so, when the wind blew, and the water moved, it was not her decision what it showed her.
Normally in visions, the sound was dull and dimmed, but here it was the first to assault her as she heard the roaring beasts that moved past her at the most unbelievable speeds, that she was sure were not biological but did not know what else they could be, and she stood in a world of grey, where great stone buildings rose to height enough to almost block out the sun. She heard voices, and, to her surprise, could understand what they were saying. Turning, she saw a young girl in odd clothing slumped on the edge of the walkway, seeming upset. Then, a tall young man came and sat next to her, rousing her from her stupor.
"Azreal!"
"Seto! What are you doing here? I thought you had a meeting!"
"I did."
"Then why…?"
She didn't hear anymore of this cryptic conversation as the water in the pond settled and she was back in the grounds of Lord Creighton's estate. She sighed slightly. The vision had shown her nothing of any real relevance or interest, just a throw-away glimpse of another world. It hadn't even been another version of anyone she knew!
"Well?" He asked, seeming irritated. "What did you see of my future? Hurry, I need to know!"
Danielle knew she should lie. Most people didn't seem to comprehend that, particularly when a mind wasn't focused, it wasn't always the future people saw, let alone the future this man wanted to see. But somehow, her exhausted mind could think of no story to appeal to this appalling man. Instead, she gave one of her famous glares, and merely replied:
"I saw myself giving you an answer once you had gained some better manners." She coolly gave a little bow and began to walk back towards the house, trying to look as dignified as she could as she walked barefoot in the cold grip of the darkness.
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Just as Jou had predicted, they were ready to cross the border the next day. Doneet Village watched them carefully, bowing reluctantly to Yugi and the companions he rode with, not daring to put their trust in any scheme or idea of the government's, the one that had plunged them and the other border towns into the front line of warfare some twenty years ago. At the same time, Yugi was their hope that they would no longer have to live in a place hinging on the hope that war would not break out again. They passed without problem until they were almost on the outskirts of the village, where a young girl struggled with an unwieldy bucket of water she'd just drawn from the well. It splashed and slopped over the side, and, as it fell, it was enough to trigger another vision that Danielle could not push to one side. She drew the horse to a stop as her consciousness shifted to a new place, so she would not be riding blind; for now, all she could see was another place, another trail, with the same thundering man-made creatures as before, made of materials she could not name. Behind her, a large building stood, with letters of some sort along it's front that seemed to be giving out light in itself. She could not read the strange language, but stored the shape of the symbols- 'Morrison's'- into her mind for future reference. Then she heard footsteps, and was very surprised to see what seemed to be herself, walking along in identical clothing to another girl, who was talking rather loudly and rapidly in a language she had never heard and could not understand at all.
"I can't believe that they dump the Music exam right at the other end of the day! I mean, what am I supposed to do! I can't get home and back…"
"You're coming to mine, aren't you?"
"Yeah, but… Oh, you know what I mean…"
Her counterpart and the other girl walked past her without glancing so much in her direction, as well they should, as Danielle was merely peering in through a window that pointed in one way only. As they walked past, the brief vision faded, and she could see the dusty, winding track through Doneet again, with Jou's horse pawing the ground in impatience.
"All done?" Jonouchi asked, calmly reigning the bored horse in.
"Yes." Danielle nodded. "Sorry…"
"Is something wrong?" Yugi asked, concerned, as they continued their slow pace through the village. Danielle seemed to be lost in thought.
"No, I've just been seeing a lot of different worlds recently…" She paused slightly, wondering how to continue. "I… I saw myself, with another girl. And before that, I saw a man and a woman..."
"Who were they?" Jou asked, curiously.
"I don't know…" Danielle said, feeling wretched. "I felt like I knew the girl with me from somewhere, but… More then likely, they're just random people the ripples happened to catch sight of."
Of course, she was absolutely wrong. The ripples, as always, fell with purpose. Some of the people that had been recently made known to her would serve a far greater part in their travels then just a passing vision.
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The travel from the capital had been the shortest leg of their journey, and although they crossed the border that night without problem, it took them well over two hours to reach the nearest village on the Nrefder side. At first, it seemed no different to Noxell. The plants were the same. The grass was the same. The animals, or at least the nocturnal ones, were the same. The owl cried in the same way. Even the sky was the same, continuing regardless of any country's borders or boundaries.
Then they reached a village, and met the people.
Even though it was quite late at night, there was still a limited amount of activity. The Inns here seemed widely different to the quiet, civil teahouses in Noxell which would occasionally erupt into laughter and tear through the quiet of the night. The door to the bar here hung open on hinges, not slid at all, and light poured out along with noise of men singing and laughing in tipsy rowdiness. Already, Danielle could detect the reek of alcohol in the air, and wrinkled her nose. There were far better uses for apples and yeast then for cider and beer. Yet, it seemed the purpose of drink here was more to get slightly drunk then to socialise. As they stood, unsure of where to go, two men came flying out of the door, followed by a man, presumably the owner, who beat them with a broom until they managed to stumble away.
"Don't mind that!" He called cheerfully to them. "We jus' don't tolerate people that get that drunk round 'ere!" He went back inside, which immediately tumbled into another gale of laughter, blowing through the high eaves of the building.
"…The Ripples could have been wrong." Danielle said, eventually. "I think I'll just go home…"
"I think I'll escort you." Jonouchi agreed.
"We can't just leave!" Yugi protested. He did want to visit Anzu, even if he was a little more dubious about an engagement- an, indeed, about Nrefder. "…At least they're happy?"
"You are way too optimistic…" Danielle sighed. "Fine. Aren't we supposed to meet some sort of Royal Guard around here?"
Jonouchi nodded, and then snorted. "How like Nrefder- they're always late…"
"Well, actually, we've been waiting three days." A cheerful voice came from behind them. They all turned their horses as fast as they could, Danielle admittedly slower then the other two. "So, well, we were early, and, well, you shouldn't insult us, good sir…"
"Um… Sorry." Jonouchi said, sheepishly, nodding his head.
"Well, I accept your apology!" He smiled. "Well, then. Well, shall we go to where we're camping?"
"That would be very nice." Yugi smiled. "Thank you."
He bowed. "Well, it's my pleasure, your highness." He walked off, leading them, still on horseback, along at a slow pace. He didn't seem to be ready to say anything else, so Danielle decided good manners demanded a proper introduction; although she had never attempted it on horse back before. Luckily, as Yugi was there, it was his job, so she shot him a look, suggesting he should do so. As he always did, he picked up on her thoughts immediately.
"Oh! Please, allow me to introduce my companions." He said, formally, and their guide turned around. "This is Danielle, the Mage of Noxell…"
"Pleased to meet you." Danielle muttered, bowing as best she could while balancing on a horse that hated her. He didn't return the bow, which she found very rude.
"And this Jonouchi, the bravest and most loyal knight ever to grace Noxell."
Jou gave a little nod once again, and once again, the guide did not return it. "Well, sir, you look very different from our knights!" He commented, before adding his own introduction. "Well, I am known around here as 'Well', on account of, well, my tendency to over-use the word well. I'm the second in command of the Royal Guard, and I will be, well, in charge of the journey. The captain sends his apologies that he couldn't come, but, well, our own mage foresaw some difficulties, so the captain remained behind to ensure that, well, these difficulties will not arise."
"Difficulties?" Yugi echoed, anxiously. "Is Princess Anzu safe?"
"Well, she is quite well, sir." Well replied, smirking. "Please, do not, well… underestimate the Royal Guard of Nrefder. We're more, well, dangerous, then we first appear."
He took a step forward, and for a moment, a fold of his strange clothing fell back, revealing a knife hidden therein. Something told Danielle that he wouldn't be the second in command if he didn't know how to use it.
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Anzu awoke slowly, and immediately knew she was far, far from home. The floor beneath her was made of polished wooden boards. She had seen a floor like this only once, visiting the Royal family of Noxell. In Nrefder, the floorboards were rough and uneven, and hidden away, but this floor was as smooth as the silk that covered her bed, although not as comfortable. Slowly, legs aching and arms tied behind her, she managed to sit up.
A man was watching her closely, surveying her every move, and probably had been for some time. He knelt on a cushion, but somehow gave the impression that he could move with cat-like grace in a split second, and do what he liked with her. He had a face that seemed to shy away from her eye's very glance, with skin that was neither pale nor dark, and was too short for his face, stretched tautly over his rounded chin and bald head, curving down over cheekbones, one marred by a scar that ran down to his neck, as though someone had attempted to decapitate him and had given up half way through. Apart from the scar, his face was unremarkable, until you reached his eyes. In one, he had obviously been injured or suffered from illness, because it was purely white besides veins standing out in stark red and a sickly blue coloured patch that might once have been an iris. Beside this sightless eye that he made no attempt to hide, he had one that was a brown of just the right reddish tones to make it seem as though blood had been thrown and had dried there. He shifted slightly, and, under the sleeve of his sky-blue robe, it did indeed seem the skin had been stained up to the elbow. Many makers of clothes or dyes suffered this affliction of stained skin, but here it just reminded her once again of blood. He'd hardly moved, and yet, Anzu felt she had got the measure of the man. She could smell that he had very recently washed well with faintly lemon-scented soap, but, to her, he still seemed to reek of death. She attempted to rearrange herself into a more graceful position and met the eye that could see her, but she did not speak.
He did not speak either, but, with the speed Anzu had already had the suspicion of, moved behind her, and, to her surprise, untied her hands.
"Please…" He said, indicating the tea set laid out before them, that had previously been hidden behind him. "Pour us both a drink, Anzu."
"I will not." Anzu replied, coolly, refusing to turn even when he stood uncomfortably close to her back. His hand slammed down on her shoulder, and she gasped in spite of herself. She could tell from the tingling sensation that he was only just away from the pressure point she herself had been taught to reach for should she ever need to defend herself. He could knock her out again easily. He could just as easily kill her.
"I asked you to pour a drink."
Shaking with rage and wishing she could stop, knowing it would be misinterpreted as fear, Anzu poured, not spilling a drop of the tea. She should not have to pour tea for a man like this in a room like this damp, dark, mouldy little one, without even any tatami mats put down. But she had to find out who he was, and what he wanted. As soon as she had successfully poured two cups, he moved from behind her, and settled himself down opposite her again.
"You see?" He said, as one would to a petulant child. "Things are so much more pleasant when you do as I say. I warn you now, Anzu, disobedience is not tolerated in my houses."
"You have no right to address me as you do." Anzu answered, primly. Normally, she hated the ritual, tradition, and formality that surrounded her place in the kingdom, but here, at least it was some sort of assurance of safety. "I will forgive that, but explain immediately what your purpose is."
"You are in no position to be making demands." He answered, leaning in close to her face, but she refused to flinch backwards. "My name is Prysen, and you work for me."
"I work for no-one apart from the people of Nrefder." Anzu hissed back, sorely tempted to spit and blind the other eye to. Before she knew what was happening, he had produced a dagger from one of his sleeves and was pressing it against her stomach.
"Didn't I say that things would be a lot more pleasant if you did as I said?" He sighed theatrically. "Please, don't make me add your blood to my hands."
"You wouldn't dare." Anzu answered, sweetly. "You need me."
"How can you say that when you don't know what I want?" He asked conversationally, drawing the dagger lightly across her stomach, just deep enough to draw blood. She exhaled slightly in pain, and he pushed her away in disgust.
"Jin!" He called. "Come and clean her up! And find her a uniform, I want her in the house!" Anzu heard him leave the room through a door that slid, and heard a shuffling as someone approached from the shadows in the corner of the room. For the moment, however, she lay looking at the ceiling in surprise. She'd never seen her own blood before. What was more was what she had just realised.
This man was not afraid to kill her.
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Jonouchi shifted his weight to his left foot in order to balance the swing he took with his right arm, clasping the sword. From the side lines, Danielle and Yugi were looking on, along with the five or six members of Nrefder's Royal Guard that travelled with them. The challenge had been issued in friendliness, but in truth, it was a contest that was mutually beneficial- each could assess the strength of the other. Jonouchi did not want to lose. Well had already mentioned that he did not look like their knights, and now, he had to agree. While he dressed really like any other civilian in Noxell unless he was going into battle in heavy armour, even on a simple mission like this, Nrefder's knights wore tunics over their grey clothes, bearing their nation's crest; a uniform that was not unique to any of them. This may have been because they were members of the Royal Guard and on duty, but from what he could gather, they were all knights anyway. As you would expect, they were very well trained, and this one was giving Jonouchi a good go.
Jonouchi's sword, broad and silver, sat proudly atop a golden handle, a white sheen stretching down the middle of the blade; and it was swinging for his opponent. The other man's sword was thin but razor-sharp, and had already nicked a chunk of Jonouchi's arm. This is why practise should not be carried out with real swords. However, the early injury had only motivated Jonouchi to put up the best fight of his life. The needle-edge blade came up and easily met his, but he was stronger and had not yet tired as much, so rather then dismounting from the parry, Jonouchi continued to force his sword down. Eventually, the other gave way, and Jonouchi was able to bring his blade down, move it sideways, hitting the man's kneecaps with the flat. He collapsed from the blow and found himself staring up at the point of Jonouchi's blade.
"Surrender?" Jonouchi asked, cockily. The man sighed, and nodded.
"Yes."
Jonouchi sheathed his sword, and then gave the man a hand, pulling him to his feet. This caused his opponent to laugh.
"For someone who fights dirty, you're very polite." He chuckled. "First you strike a low blow at my knees, and then you help me to my feet. I never did understand Noxell…"
"A sword is a weapon designed to win a fight." Jonouchi shrugged. "Use it however you can."
"Jou!" Yugi shouted from the sidelines somewhere. "Nicely done!"
"He still managed to get himself sliced to pieces in the process…" Danielle grumbled, searching through the seemingly endless pockets sewn into the lining. "Here." She said, walking over to Jonouchi holding a small leather pouch. The citizens of Nrefder blinked at it, but Jou and Yugi were well aware of what Danielle kept in that pouch and others like it. She opened the drawstring around the top, pouring out a small pinch of some powder, ground up from various herbs and goodness knows what else. She tugged on Jou's arm, indicating he should hold it where she could reach it, and then sprinkled the powder over it. Where it landed, on a word muttered under her breath, the skin began to heal. The Royal Guard seemed a little taken aback.
"Well, we weren't expecting you to be able to do something like that… well, so easily." Well confessed to her later, as the fire was being lit for that night's camp. "We thought, well, that herbs and plants were just for, well, cooking."
Danielle raised an eyebrow. "A waste, in my opinion. They hardly make a difference to food. But if you know the right mix, and the right words, and have enough power… You can do anything you like."
"Anything?" One of the more boisterous knights echoed. "Hey, I wouldn't like to fight her!" The others laughed.
"…I get the impression that you're mocking me." Danielle frowned.
"Of course not." The knight answered, not sounding at all as though he meant it.
"Danielle…" Yugi murmured, seeing what was coming and attempting to pacify the situation. For once, she ignored him.
"Then fight me." She stated, simply; heading over to where her staff was concealed within the saddle bags on her horse. It nuzzled and pushed her, attempting to get in her way as much as humanely possible. Eventually, she pulled the long wooden staff out from where it had been laid horizontally. It stood about shoulder-height on deep, dark wood with a lighter head piece, which began with the small blue water droplet that symbolised a mage and then moved in to two fine curves, sloping down the top of the staff like a ram's horns. Below them, two further pieces of wood curled around them on either side. Finally, at the top of the staff, nestled between the horns, was a fine red gem; a stone called Niojichite that was traditionally said to focus and hone magical powers. Every staff for every mage shared the trait of this stone and the tear drop, but the design was always different. Danielle, like every other mage, had carved the head piece herself, and, like every other mage, she thought it was by far the best design in the world. But now, she was about to pit it against a sword that could probably cut straight through it. However, she wasn't in the least worried. It had never let her down before.
The knight was hastily revising his opinion, and, after assuring her that there was no need 'for fights among friends', backed away.
Danielle smirked as she struggled against the horse in order to put the staff back. As it happened, she only knew one attack spell anyway, and she could manage well enough without the staff- although there was no need for them to know that. She had no intention to fight them, just reinforce what Jonouchi had established earlier- they were not to be messed with. She turned to see Yugi shaking his head at her in wry disapproval and Jou grinning. They were well used to her tricks by now- she had half the maids at the palace scared to death that she would turn them into toads. She went to rejoin them.
"This is why we can't take you anywhere…" Yugi muttered, then he became more serious. "One of these days, someone won't be too scared to fight you, you know. And we might not be around to bail you out."
"…I'll be ready by then." Danielle replied, eventually. No more was said between them until the morning.
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Nrefder palace was situated on a hill, looking down on the capital city. In order to reach it's colossal towers and spires, pointing an accusing finger to the Heavens, they would have to travel through that city, and that was what was making Well decidedly nervous.
It wasn't so much his or his men's safety he was concerned for. They were all Knights of Nrefder, and, what's more, in order to make the Royal Guard, they were the best. They were the knights who had proved their loyalty, courage, wisdom and strength; there was not a man among them that Well would not want by his side in battle. The people loved and revered them, seeing them almost as living legends. There wasn't a boy in Nrefder who didn't want to be in the Royal Guard when he grew up. There was no higher honour, no greater position, and they were untouchable. Their guests, however…
The Prince of Noxell may have come in peace with the intention for an alliance, but some people still distrusted this. Their parents, grandparents, even a few still living, had fallen foul of the atrocities of that war. Others were aware of the horrific things still happening beneath the surface of peace, hidden away by the changing tide of time. Some would not take lightly to their approach. Well glanced over at the three. Jonouchi had proved himself more then adept with a sword, so he was not concerned about the knight who was laughing with a member of the guard. The mage was having a deep conversation with her prince. She spoke to him as a friend, something most would never dream of doing to Royalty. Well had to wonder what relationship they really had, how far her magic really stretched, and, above all, why she had come.
Mages were the puppeteers, manipulating things into their favour from behind the scenes. They never came on stage. So what part did this one have to play in the performance…?
The townspeople watched in open suspicion as they passed, but made no act upon it. As far as they were concerned, the Noxells could do nothing as long as the Guard, their pride and joy, were there. They may as well have been prisoners. And there was also the hope that finally, at last, a lasting agreement could be made. No-one interfered with the group as they passed, climbing up the slope towards the grand building.
The very design of the palace was different to that of the one in Noxell. It was not several buildings, but one rather large one. The grey slate and stone, in blocks the size of a man's head, were piled so high and so wide they seemed to fill the horizon as far as the eye dared to look. Danielle looked up at it in awe. It looked like things were going to be very different here… In fact, even as the welcoming party moved over towards them, her eyes spotting a mage among them, the place seemed to be disorganised and chaotic, men running and shouting to each other, seemingly oblivious to their important guest. The Prince Regent- at least, she assumed it was him, as he was the most finely clothed and lead the small party- came, looking apologetic, as they dismounted, and the Guard moved off to stable the horses and report to their supervisor. Then he did the most curious thing- instead of bowing to Yugi when they greeted, he took his hand and lifted it up and down, just as men would sometimes do after sealing a business deal.
"That's how you greet people here." Jou whispered to her, sensing her confusion. "You shake hands. Didn't you wonder why Well didn't bow to us before? They only bow to their ruler here."
Danielle nodded to show she understood, and tried not to feel to out of place in this foreign world. She watched the way people ran around and moved and spoke in the bustle that continued around them regardless of them being there. She thought this was terribly rude, but perhaps here, it wasn't. Who was to know…?
"Missing!" Yugi's yelp brought her back to paying attention with all swiftness. "What happened?"
"I think we best go inside, sir…" The Mage muttered to the Regent. Then he turned to Yugi, giving him a small bow in complete contradiction to what Danielle had just thought she'd understood- "It is mostly my fault, sir. Please, let me explain inside exactly what has happened to the Princess."
Yugi nodded, swallowing slightly as they turned and went into the colossal building. He may not want to marry Anzu, but she was as much an old friend as Danielle and Jou. He didn't want to lose that. Worse, if Anzu was missing, he was sure Noxell would somehow eventually get the blame. They had to save her. Whatever it took, and even if someone stood in their way, they had to get her back. The very future of the countries depended on it, on them. Yugi fingered the golden pyramid around his neck, the heirloom of Noxell's royal family, the proof he was who he said he was, the pyramid featuring the eye that saw all, that made him immediately recognisable, and gave him safe passage. He wondered how safe it would keep them now.
People were older than their years in the country these days.
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Seto sometimes wondered how he ended up in these situations.
Rescuing the Princess had begun as a relatively routine quest. He had thought he could get away with doing things his own way, and he was used to working solo. He had thought he could attend to some personal business as he went. But no. Now, rather then working solo, it seemed there was an entire fellowship waiting to accompany him. First there had been that Mage, Ryou. He was seemingly blaming himself for the entire situation. Personally, Seto couldn't care less who the blame lay with; he just wanted to get this sorted so he could get back to his life. And now, there were all these foreigners coming to. The Prince Anzu was supposed to be getting engaged to, adamant that he was going to come and help save his 'friend'; and the Knight that was determined to help his Prince. Then there was that other Mage, who's motives were unclear. He hoped 'I saw myself coming in the ripples' wasn't her entire purpose.
He didn't know why he had ended up with these people.
As for Seto, he wasn't entirely sure what he did. Certainly, when he'd been made a Knight, it had been a mere token to ensure his loyalty. He had got no reward from it, financial or in land. But it was a title to came with a reputation, and one he wanted. If he could become mysterious and legendary enough, people would leave him alone. And that was all he wanted. Peace and quiet.
Well, it wasn't all he wanted. But all else he wanted, he could not have.
The next morning, the five of them silently mounted their refreshed horses and rode away, before the city could stir and realise something was wrong at the Palace.
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"Now should I send this?" Cloward asked, waving a small piece of parchment as the five rescuer's backs retreated. Karne nodded.
"Yup!" She replied. "Now, c'mon. Let's mosey."
"…I don't want to leave." Cloward admitted, patting one of the remaining horses fondly.
"We don't have a choice." Karne replied, eventually. She had no more desire to go than Cloward did. None the less, that day, the two stable hands up and left, leaving not a trace of ever being there among the strewn hay and dirt.
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A/N: End of part one… Next, the heroes head into the Scar! What horrors are contained there? Find out in Part Two- Forest…