Whipped this out quickly, sorry if there are any errors. I don't know if the Shugo Chara! fandom is still thriving, but I felt like I should update this story again. Enjoy!
CHAPTER 2
A Commoner Named Amu
"Your Highness, please wake up," Dia's voice said.
Amu flinched before slowly opening her eyes. The ground was cool and wet and her head felt heavy...not to mention she had this horrid headache. Rubbing her tired eyes, she sat up trying to recollect what happened.
The five girls were in the boat for no longer than ten minutes before they reached shore. They found a cave located not so far down the sandy beaches and made camp there for the night. The rocks were adorned with vines and the smell of saltwater hung in the air. Her vision cleared and was greeted with the sight of the ocean not so far away. The small waves overlapped each other just as it greeted the sand before receding into the endless blue ocean.
The Distant Castle sat on top of that same ocean.
Amu gasped and shot up to her feet, wobbling a bit while ignoring her friend's protest and helping hand. She hastened out of the cave and reached the edge of the shores just enough for the water to kiss at her toes, silently tempting her to come in the water.
There was her home a few hundred feet away, standing with an eerie quietness and peace that made her skin crawl. She squinted at the bright beige banner that hung from what looked like a knocked out window. It was too far to make out the insignia but it was definitely not the royal family's crest. "D-Dia, what is that?" She pointed to it.
Dia was at her side within a few strides. "That's the Platinum family's crest." She said with sombreity. A light gush of wind was sent drifting down the beach, ruffling up both girls' hair and through their cloaks.
Amu's shoulders dropped. "The Platinum family?" She repeated. Dia nodded. "They attacked my home?" A mix of fear and anger was stirring inside her. "I thought they didn't want to be involved with other countries?"
"Not quite…"
The princess suddenly realized how quiet it was around them. "Where's Ran, Miki, and Su?"
"They went into the village to see if there's any danger there. Su mentioned something about getting you into something more...appropriate to wear." She said slowly.
Amu looked down at her wrinkled nightgown and tugged the cloak around her tightly, relishing in the small comfort it gave her. "I see.."
"Are you hungry?" Dia offered with a sudden cheeriness. "We can take you to our favorite place for breakfast!" This was something Amu was always jealous of. Her friends were free to leave the castle's walls and visit the mainland whenever they wanted, after getting permission from the queen of course.
But now she was here...due to circumstances she'd rather not be in, but she was on the mainland. Amu nodded and tried to give her friend a smile. Her smile was lost when she let her thoughts wander once again. "Why did the Platinum family attack?"
Dia folded her arms, sad eyes looking at the silent castle. "Because they were always jealous." Amu blinked and silently urged her to elaborate. "You know how small Easter is, well they wanted more land...Easter was struck down by a plague, something our country was immune to, and it took out half of the population in Easter, including their resources. Their family was wiped out except for the king and prince."
"That's horrible…"
"The Platinum King demanded King Tsumugu to give him resources and he did...but the Platinum King wanted more. King Tsumugu refused and then…" Dia's voice faltered, but Amu listened long enough to understand what happened next.
"We need to stop them!" Amu screamed, heart wrenched with sadness. "Th-they might hurt my mother!" Amu put her hands on her head, trying to stop herself from crying. "Dia! We need to do something!"
Dia whipped around and put her hands on the princess's shoulders. "Please hold yourself together!" She begged. "We need to be careful now."
"Dia…" Amu sniffed in a weak voice, "...the Platinum King m-might kill my mom!" The redhead sighed and pulled her friend into a hug as Amu cried. Her shoulders shook as the tears fell.
"It's okay," Dia cooed, "we'll find a way to save the queen, and the Distant Castle."
"How?"
"You're the secret weapon know one knows about." Dia pulled away and gave her friend a smile, "You're the princess of the Distant Castle! The Platinum King has no idea that there's one more royal, and you can gain support from the people and we can take him down!"
Amu admired the determination Dia had. She wiped away the tears and sniffed. "But that's the thing: no one knows I exist. How're the people supposed to believe that the king and queen had a child?"
Dia pursed her lips. "Huh...well we'll figure it out!"
"Dia…"
"Hey! You guys!" The all-too familiar voice of Ran came barreling down the cliffside. The two looked up to see the girl with bright pink hair wave at her frantically. They waved back. "Village is all clear! C'mon! I'm hungry!"
Miki elbowed Ran. "She needs to change first!" The three girls hurriedly went down a set of rickety wooden steps and Su presented Amu with a light green dress. "Green compliments your hair best desu."
Amu smiled and took the dress. "Thanks, Su."
"We'll help you get dressed desu!"
"And, no thanks." Amu quickly explained when her four friends gave her odd looks. "I don't think you should treat me as a princess now, I'm just a friend."
"She does have a point…" Dia nodded wisely.
"So don't call me 'Princess' or 'Your Highness' either!" Amu announced before she hurried into the cave and changed. Ugh, honestly, they need to find a better place to stay when they get to the village.
Amu emerged from the cave, fastening the cape she was given last night over the green dress. With it being summer, the dress came just a little above the knees and it had straps that covered her shoulders. The skirt was ruffled and was much easier to move in than the ridiculous gowns she always had to wear. It occurred to her that she forgot to take off her arm jewelry and the anklet from yesterday, but this time she didn't mind. It reminded her of home.
"It's so pretty on you, Prin―I mean―Amu." Ran complimented. The others nodded in agreement. Amu smiled.
"Breakfast anyone?" Dia asked and they all made their way up the cliffs.
Blades of deep green grass brushed above Amu's ankles as they headed into town. Her heart was beating heavily against her chest as her excitement rose. She could see an assortment of buildings, from wooden buildings to homes made of stone. She smiled to see some parts of the town mirrored the colors and look of the Distant Castle.
Ran went on ahead of the group as she eagerly chatted about the delicious food this one restaurant had, and gushed about the bakeries. Miki mentioned something about the monthly bazaar that would happen smack dab in the middle of town and that it was going on right now.
They had to get through said bazaar in order to get to said restaurant. It was an understatement to say that the princess was overwhelmed. Colorful banners hung in the sky and the air was filled with shouts of customers and merchants. Glistening trinkets were set proudly on display as customers came to look.
Amu bumped into Miki and nearly fell to the ground. Miki looked over her shoulder, unfazed, "Sorry! It's just…" she pointed to a stand where a merchant was selling an array of paint brushes and paints.
Ran tugged on Miki's arm impatiently, "Not now! I'm hungry! I'm sure Amu-chan is too!"
"Oh," Miki nodded and gave the pinkette an apologetic grin, "sorry, I got distracted…"
Amu arched a brow and gave the girls a little smile. "I think we can be distracted for...ten minutes?" Sure her stomach roared its displeasure, but her curiosity took control.
The five then walked further in the bazaar. The smell of sweets being made and the aroma of incense being lit were the first things Amu detected. Amu saw multiple owners and customers barter for objects of all sorts. Children giggled as they managed to easily weave their way through the crowds to go to their parents about getting them something that caught their eyes.
Tables had signs with pricings and various objects, from jewelry all the way to pens and all sorts of utensils. Miki had herself lost at one of the stands, silently picking out a few new brushes to her extensive collection. Su and Ran were at a stand where they were making some type of snack, while Amu and Dia were looking through all the jewelry and dresses.
It was so strange though.
The villagers seemed to never realize that the Distant Castle had been overtaken. Then again, it looked so serene from afar. The Platinum family crest on the wall of the castle was basically invisible since the colors looked so much like the Distant Castle's.
That left a sour feeling in Amu's stomach. How did the Platinum King's guards manage to get to the Distant Castle undetected?
A few minutes ticked away and Amu found herself staring at the little pieces of jewelry set on display. Growing up around jewels of all sorts, she noticed that all of these gems were nothing compared to what she had. All these crystals were just glass.
"I'm sure we can establish another trade if you're interested." An aged merchant said.
Amu's train of thought snapped like a tiny thread, "Oh no," she smiled and shook her head slightly, "I was just looking, I have enough jewelry." she gestured to her bangles. They chimed brightly as she moved her arm.
It seemed the man was at a loss for words. He gawked, mouth agape. "Pardon me for asking, young lady, but where did you get those bangles? Surely it must've cost a fortune."
Amu mentally shrunk back and pulled her arm under her cape. Damn. She stumbled to string a correct sentence together. "My...friend's parents are-uh-overseas traders. They give me what's left so they can make room for more goods."
"Ahh, that makes sense. If I were you, you best keep those bangles hidden. Thieves love to come through the bazaar. They might mistake you for a royal." He chuckled.
She nodded. "I'm not from here…" would it hurt to try? "But I've heard rumors that something happened at the Distant Castle. Do you know what's going on? Is the queen alright?"
The owner's face immediately dropped to a frown. He looked around, suddenly looking nervous and beckoned for Amu to come closer. This wasn't a good sign. Amu leaned in and the man said lowly, "You best hold your tongue about that. The Platinum Prince's guards are stationed everywhere around town."
Wait… "What?" Amu blinked. The Platinum Prince? Wasn't it the king who was behind all of this?
"By orders of the Platinum King, the prince had commenced an attack on the Distant Castle. He has the queen as hostage."
"Isn't there something you can do? What about the Distant Castle's guards?"
The man shook his head. "The Platinum Prince declared that the town can continue normally as long as he doesn't detect a rebellion." He paused and looked around again. "I wish I could tell you more, but I just got my permit to sell and I don't want to get arrested."
Amu nodded and the two pulled away as if nothing happened. She gulped down this sudden panic that rose within her. She found Dia still in the same spot and she grabbed her arm. Dia jumped. "What's wrong?"
"We need to talk…"
Miki had just arrived with a bag full of art supplies, smile fading when she saw Amu's upset face. "What happened, Amu-chan?"
"Not now. Wh-where was that restaurant again?" Amu asked quickly.
"So that's what's going on…" Dia said, face stricken with solemnity.
The five girls managed to get to the restaurant, drinks were on the table and now they were just waiting for their food. Amu felt like she lost her appetite however.
It made sense now, the reason why the town was so oblivious about the attack. The idea of her winning over the people seemed to be tossed out the window, and now Amu was back to square one.
"Do you know where the Distant Castle's guards went?" Miki asked. Amu shrugged and shook her head. "He wouldn't say. He was too scared. What am I supposed to do now? Barge in with my hands up in surrender?"
"No!" The four shouted. The people in the restaurant looked over at their table, and the girls shrunk away from the odd stares they were given. "Maybe we can rally some people together desu?" Su offered.
Amu shrugged. "I don't know...I just wonder what happened to the others in the castle." She thought about Nikaidou and Kairi. Did they make it out? Or were they trapped inside just like her mother?
A small group of the Platinum Prince's soldiers came marching down the path. If the glass weren't there separating from Amu and the guards, she would've had at them. How dare they terrorize her people? The nerve of that prince! After she would get her mother out of prison, Amu would be more than happy to push that damned prince off the bell tower and into the ocean.
Everyone's head turned when plates of steaming hot food were placed on the table. Amu's stomach roared to life at the lovely sight. Eggs and orange juice never looked so good in her eyes, even if they weren't on a silver platter. For the next few minutes, the princess let herself forget her worries and delved into the food.
With breakfast out of the way, stomachs full, the five girls left the restaurant with renewed strength and a small burst of optimism.
Her friends immediately started a tour, showing Amu the finest bakeries, to the most famous floral shops in town. Everything was so lively despite the ominous reign of the mysterious Platinum Prince. On the outskirts of the village was a dense forest that seemed to stretch for miles. It could rival the ocean's vastness.
Before she knew it, they were back in the middle of the bazaar, going through a few stands they past as they journeyed to get breakfast. Amu and Miki were looking at paintings and tapestries as another group of Platinum soldiers came marching through. The complaints thrown from the villagers caught Amu's ear, and she turned around only to get shoulder checked by one of the guards. "Get out the way, commoner." The guard hissed.
She cocked her head to one side, glaring at the man. "Commoner?" She bit back. "What makes you think you have a higher station than me?"
The man turned around, surprised that she responded. "What did you say?" The troops in his group also had their attention on the pinkette. Miki picked up her head and gasped. Immediately she was at her friend's side. "Amu, stop!" She whispered and tugged at her arm, gaze avoiding the guards.
Miki's plea fell on deaf ears however. "You heard me." Amu announced, gaining the attention of a few ongoing villagers. "What makes you think you can waltz about here? You are trespassing this country. Your status back in your nation is void in this one, so I expect you to treat everyone here as your equal!" The bazaar went silent.
"Cocky little bitch!" The man muttered under his breath, hand reaching for the sword at his hip. "I can put that pretty little head on a pike!"
"What makes you think you can tell us what to do, girl?" Another man asked, almost finding it amusing. "You don't want anything to happen to your precious little queen, right?" His voice got low, venom dripped from his words. "You best keep your mouth shut."
The hairs on the back of Amu's neck stood up as she finally realized what she was doing. What was she thinking?! She wasn't the princess here! She was just a commoner named 'Amu'. The usually sassy and quick witted princess was at a loss of words. Her nervousness was bundled together with anger, and it lodged in the back of her throat, making it hard to swallow.
The man who bumped into her unsheathed his sword and pointed it warningly at Amu. The metal let out a metallic ring as he waved it in the air. "Do you have anything else to say to me, peasant?"
"No, n―" As quick as Miki was to fill in for her friend, someone else was faster.
"Oh, so this is where you've been! I was looking everywhere for you!" An unfamiliar male voice run in Amu's ears. The girls were as surprised as the guards when they saw a tall man wrap an arm around Amu's shoulders, pulling her close.
Amu gave him an incredulous look, part of her wondering who in the world was the crazy person, and another part trying to figure out if she should go with it. She went with the latter. "Where were you? I turned my back and then you were gone!" She retorted, trying to take her attention off the gleaming sword that still pointed at her.
"Don't try to pin this on me." The man now stood in front of her. "I'm sorry, is there something going on here?" He asked the guard.
"She's with you?" The man inquired, still glaring daggers at Amu. Amu shrunk behind her unknown savior, Miki hiding behind Amu. Both girls shrugged at each other.
"Yes. We were visiting for family matters, so if she insulted you, I apologize on her behalf. She's not from here." He offered without a snag.
"Keep her mouth shut, won't you? The next time this happens, we won't be so forgiving." The other guard added. "You should be grateful since we're feeling particularly merciful." Amu would've scowled at the man if she could.
The man simply nodded his head and the guards left. Amu was holding her breath until they disappeared from her vision. "Thank you, that was much appreciated." She sighed, heart thudding loudly. The man turned around and she blinked.
Hair a deep blue with eyes to match, he wore nearly black clothes. His alluring smile seemed to match his personality. He stood a head taller than her, making her actually look up at him. "You should be careful next time. You have better things to do than get your head stuck on a pike."
"Amu, I told you to just back out!" Miki huffed. "You're lucky Ran wasn't here...I think she would've joined in with you." Oh, that would've been a fiasco. "Thanks for helping." Miki smiled politely at the stranger.
"Anything for Her Highness." The man said lowly as the bazaar began to reset its normal pace.
"What?" Both girls froze.
The man just chuckled and motioned for them to follow him. "That Kiddy-King has ears all around. We need to talk in private."
Amu this is important: do not blow your cover! You have a kingdom to save! And a prince's butt to kick.
Thanks for reading, lemme know what you thought! Since I'm currently re-writing this, this story may be updated more often than 'Illusions' or 'Dancer's Feet'...it just depends on my muse.
-Jen
