Pookles: Here's Chapter 6! Are you guys ready?
Luna: Didn't you have something you wanted to tell your readers?
Pookles: Right! So this story idea came from RubySakurai, who is no longer of this site, and I am simply expanding on her idea. Also, for mentions of Scoopshipping...I might add something later on for each couple.
Luna: Ooooo sounds fun.
Pookles: I'll introduce Dexter for you if you want.
Luna: Pookles doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's
Of Dragons and Men
Chapter 6: Here's Daddy!
A week later, Yusei and Akiza had grown closer, often sparring together and having late night talks in the dining hall over ice cream. Each had admitted the feelings they harbored for the other to their friends, but had yet to actually tell said other. The previous night consisted of one of these talks over ice cream; starting with strawberry and vanilla ice cream respectively, and ending with a teary-eyed Akiza shivering in the arms of an equally-cold Yusei after several brain freezes and a confession of all the girl's fears about the following day.
Finally, that day had arrived where Akiza would confront her father and the other men who ruined her life.
With Yusei by her side, she took a breath and pushed open the door to see three men being escorted up the spiral staircase to the Master's office by the Master's guards.
"Come on." Yusei encouraged her with a smile. "Let's go get this straightened out."
Akiza gave him a hug, which he returned before they followed the escort party up to the office.
Today, Yusei and Akiza were wearing their armor and equipped with their battle weapons. Yusei donned the familiar white and blue armor which consisted of a white chest plate with blue accents similar to Stardust's over a blue undershirt. White bracers covered his navy-blue gloves and white greaves that went up to his knees that covered gray pants with a navy stripe and silver rivets sewn vertically down the front. His matching twin claymores completed the outfit while resting in their black leather sheaths, strapped to Yusei's back.
Akiza wore a light-brown strapless top, split and divided vertically with some bronze patterns over a low, bronze, v-neck with brown cut off sleeves and bronze bracers on top, and a red, elastic, A-line miniskirt with some red, ankle-length drapery that was wrapped around her skirt. She also wore a large bronze gorget on her neck, a bronze circlet with a black rose painted in the center, a bronze bracelet around her right bicep along with some bronze, heeled greaves that extended up mid-thigh. Her chain-scythes were attached to either hip on a brown leather belt, and swung freely as she walked.
"Your armor really suits you," Yusei commented.
Akiza blushed, "thanks."
"You're welcome," he replied then turned to the door with an uncharacteristic smile on his face. "Now excuse me while I make an entrance."
Yusei kicked open the door to the Master's office like the badass he is, then waited for Akiza to walk past him and sit in the Master's desk chair, putting her feet up on the desk with Yusei standing at her left and Hakase on her right.
King Hideo sat in the center chair; on his right was Archbishop Goodwin, and on his left was the aide to the King that Akiza was suspicious of.
"Hello father," she greeted the King.
"Hello Akiza," he greeted.
"Why have you come here?" she asked.
The King held a stern expression, "I would like you to come home and assume the throne daughter," he began, then motioned to the man to his left. "This is your betrothed, Sir Sayer. He's been a loyal adviser to me over the years-"
"And suggested that you hunt me like a dog after telling the Archbishop to forsake me," the girl cut him off.
Silence fell over the room as Akiza felt anger pool in her stomach at the shocked looks on the faces of the three men before her. She glared at her father, then turned her anger on Sayer.
"What is it you are after? The throne? Or are you one of my radical suitors that wanted to lock me in the dungeon while you ran the kingdom?" she hissed.
"Akiza! Cease this nonsense!" King Hideo shouted. "Why are you interrogating the man you're going to marry?"
Akiza stood and slammed her fist on the desk, effectively silencing her father.
"I will not marry him," she stated sternly. "You cast me off and sent me to die. Who do you think you are to tell me what to do?! For all we know, he could murder you in your sleep and kill me once I've assumed the throne! Do you even care about my well-being?!"
"Yes I do Akiza! I always have! I've trusted this man to help me with very important decisions-"
"And he told you to kill your own daughter," Akiza cut him off again. "Does that sound like something a caring father would allow?" she added mentally.
This sent her father into stunned silence as he couldn't do anything but stare at the ground in shock as the gravity of his actions set in. The girl turned her attention on the other man once again.
"I know you told the Archbishop to call my existence a curse on the Izinski Royal Family," she began, "and then you told my father to end the bloodline so you could get close enough to him to then marry me and kill me for the throne. Have I hit the nail hard enough? Or do I need to hit it again?"
"I could never do any such thing," he replied. "I am simply a man who has chosen to do anything he can in order to hold the woman he loves close at night."
"And then murder her in her sleep," Akiza finished as she snapped her fingers.
The three men were bound to their chairs by vines around their wrists, ankles and abdomens.
"Why are you so convinced that I did all that you claim?" Sayer asked, struggling against his restraints.
"Because I saw you that day; the day you threatened the Archbishop to tell my father that I was a monster," she hissed. "But don't worry, if you won't talk, then I'll get the Archbishop to. Pistol please."
Akiza caught the pistol that was thrown to her and walked around the desk to rest her foot on the footrest of the Archbishop's chair and point the pistol at his right knee. She wasn't sure how she was still this composed on an issue that had ruined her life until a week ago, but went ahead with her interrogation anyway.
"Oh lord!" he cried as Akiza pressed the pistol harder into his knee to silence him.
"Were you or were you not the man who told my father that my powers were a curse?" she asked.
The Archbishop gulped, "yes My Lady."
"Is that what you truly believed at the time?"
The Archbishop was silent for a moment and Akiza pushed the pistol deeper into his knee to compel him to answer.
"I'm sorry, this isn't your kneecap?" she prompted sarcastically.
"N-No! Of course not My Lady!" he blurted.
Akiza turned and looked back toward Hakase and Yusei who both nodded before replying, "he speaks the truth."
The girl moved the pistol and pressed it into the Archbishop's right knee, "you've saved one leg. Now continue to answer my questions and you'll save the other."
The Archbishop gulped and nodded as Akiza asked her next question.
"Why did you lie to my father? You are his ambassador to God; the one he trusts to interpret His word. So why lie?"
"I-It was like you s-said My Lady," he stammered. "I-I was t-threatened."
"By who?" she prodded.
"By Sayer, M-My Lady," he finished.
Akiza looked back to Hakase and Yusei who nodded again, "he speaks the truth."
"How do you know?" Sayer inquired, still keeping his composure.
"The Guild Master can read minds, and his son can read body language," Akiza answered as she clicked a bullet into the chamber and pointed the pistol at Sayer. "Now that you know, would you like to confess? Or should I just shoot you now?"
Yusei stepped forward and placed a hand on Akiza's shoulder, "shooting him would be too merciful a punishment."
Akiza handed the pistol to one of the Master's guards and gripped her chain-scythes, "you're right. Should I fillet him like a fish instead?"
"You wouldn't dare!" Sayer shouted.
"She would actually," Yusei replied, remembering many unpleasant experiences from sparring matches where he's accidentally pissed her off. "Antagonizing her was your first mistake. Lying to her is only making it worse."
Akiza sat on the desk, absently playing with her chain-scythes while glaring at Sayer, "would you like to explain why you ruined my relationship with my father?"
"You meddling wench," he growled.
Deciding that his response was enough of a confession for her, she turned to her father, who continued wallowing in his grief-induced trance before meeting her gaze.
"Akiza," he began. "I'm sorry."
Akiza didn't reply, to which the King took as an invitation to continue with his apology.
"I know that an apology is not enough to forgive me for all the pain I've caused you," he continued. "But I hope that you can forgive me one day."
Akiza snapped her fingers again to release her father's and the Archbishop's restraints, and pulled the King to his feet for a hug.
"Father, I will forgive you on one condition," she began, staring up at her teary-eyed father.
"Anything, my precious little rose," he sobbed.
"Promise me to think for yourself from now on," she said calmly.
Her father nodded and pulled Akiza back into his arms, "of course."
The man still bound to his chair managed to break free of his restraints and ran at the reconciling father and daughter, with a manifested shadow sword held above his head. Before Akiza could do anything, Yusei dove between them and slashed at Sayer's chest before he could get close. The man fell to the ground in a bloodied heap and Hakase immediately took action.
"Guards, take him away!" he ordered. "Keep him alive and prepare him for trial."
Sayer was dragged out of the room by the guards and King Hideo pulled away from Akiza to stare at Yusei.
"Thank you young man," he began. "I am in your debt Sir...?"
"Yusei," he replied before turning to the girl. "Are you okay Akiza?"
She smiled at him and nodded before hugging him, "I'm fine; and thank you for everything."
Yusei froze as sadness crossed his features, "why do you sound like you're leaving?"
"I'm not," she replied before turning to her father. "I will assume the throne one day, but not anytime soon. You and mom still have plenty of time left on this earth, so enjoy it now that this pain is behind us."
King Hideo nodded, "of course my dear. And Sir Yusei, if there's anything toy desire, do not hesitate to ask."
Yusei smiled, "well your highness, there is one thing I want, but I'm not sure if you'll be willing to oblige."
"You saved my life and the life of my dear daughter," the King replied with a light chuckle, "you can have anything you want."
"Your highness," Yusei began before taking a knee, "I ask for your blessing to court your daughter."
Pookles: Haha cliffhanger. Sorry.
Luna: You're evil.
Pookles: Yeah. I was actually worried about this not being long enough. But it was, so it's okay.
Crow: Please Favorite, Follow, Review and join us for the next installment.
Pookles: P.S. Cookies for anyone who can guess where that scene with the pistol came from.
Jack: Hint, it's from a tv show.