A/N: Okay, so life and writers block kind of got in the way again and I had to put this story aside for a very long time. I apologize intensely. Only a few chapters to go after this though! Thank you for sticking with this story after so long! I'm happy you guys enjoy it :)
Disclaimer: I do not own any aspect of "The Cat Returns." Those rights belong to Studio Ghibli.
Chapter 9
The grand hall was empty of its usual guests. Sunlight poured through the windows, filling up the emptiness of the room. At the royal table sat Yuki and Lune, sitting regally in their chairs as they waited for their guests.
The double doors burst open. In the doorway stood Baron, Muta, and Toto. They proceeded to the center of the room in front of the king and queen's table. The three black and white cats followed suit.
"Your Majesties," Baron quickly addressed, bowing down and swinging off his top hat for a moment.
Lune hastily waved his paw. "No need for such formalities, Baron. Please stand."
Baron obeyed, waiting for Lune to speak. Lune opened his mouth to speak but then averted his gaze to look at the three cats that had guided them in.
"I don't recognize the three of you," Lune said, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
A barely audible gulp caught in one of the cats' throats. They began to back away slowly and began to mutter in a strange language.
Lune's eyes snapped open wide and stood up abruptly from his chair. "Guards, seize them!"
Before the trio could finish an incantation, the guards flung themselves at them and pinned their arms behind their backs. The guards pushed them down so they were on all fours, nearly prostrated on the ground. They quickly ripped cloth from off of their uniforms and strapped them around the mouths of the cats to keep them from chanting any spells. The three struggled but to no avail.
"Name yourself!" Lune demanded.
The guards pulled the straps off from their mouths. "I am Archibald, your majesty," said the tenor-voiced.
"And I am Julius," said the light-voiced.
"And I am Gareth," said the deep-voiced.
"We are from the castle of Duke Don Cassius Armistead," Archibald said.
"Then you are spies?" Lune shouted.
"No, Your Majesty!" Julius replied quickly. "We are here to help your cause."
"And for what reason would you want to help our cause?" Lune inquired.
"Everyone in the castle has been under the tyranny of the Duke for too long," Archibald said sadly. "I and my two comrades here decided to escape. We are hoping that you can put the Duke in his place, my king, where I and the others cannot. We are also hoping for the release of his fiancée, Miss Haru."
"You've seen her?" Baron exclaimed, putting his foot forward in their direction, his emerald eyes widening in hope.
"Yes. Once," Gareth said. "The Duke had changed Julius here into a doppelganger of you, Baron von Gikkingen, and tortured him with magic so Haru would know what would happen to you should she try to escape or contact you."
Baron's fists clenched at his side, his "eyebrows" forking in fury. "What can you tell us about this Duke of yours?"
"He is a cold-hearted cat," said Julius. "He has always been sadistic, greedy, unsatisfied. The only reason the servants work for him is because he threatened to harm our families."
"But he hasn't always been powerful?" Lune urged.
"No," said Archibald. "You know, Your Majesty, of the Mines of the Moon that we had discovered a few years ago?"
"Yes, during the reign of my father," Lune replied.
"Mines of the Moon, Lune?" Baron inquired.
"It was a mine discovered two years ago, around the time that Haru first came here, in fact. The mine was filled with mysterious stones that glowed in the moonlight, hence why it was named the Mines of the Moon."
"Then you remember that your father put the previous Duke in charge of researching the stones and their powers?" Archibald interjected.
"Yes."
"The Duke has been very good about hiding any discoveries about the stones, but he did not have his powers until he began researching those stones."
"Are you suggesting that these stones are the source of the Duke's power?" asked Yuki.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Do you know how this duke uses these stones to get these powers?" Muta asked.
"No one knows," said Gareth, "but the Duke is very particular about dressing himself so we think he wears these stones on his person."
"Then if we find the Duke and destroy his stone, we can strip him of his power and save Haru," said Baron, pacing to the other side of the room, his hand on his chin in thought.
"Baron, are you sure we're gonna be able to do that?" Muta asked nervously, looking after him.
"Yeah, Baron, we don't know much about these stones," Toto added. "Who knows what could happen?"
"We need to try." Baron let his hand fall and Muta glimpsed a gloved hand curling into a fist. "I will save Haru from him. I won't allow him to force her to be his wife."
"Perhaps it's these stones that make him so confident in taking over the human world," said Lune.
"Taking over?" Muta said, his eyes widening in Lune's direction.
"We spoke to Haru at the Duke's engagement party. One reason he's so set on marrying Haru is to lure you here, Baron. He wants to take over the human world to exploit its resources and expand the Cat Kingdom, with the only human girl who's come here and made it back as his bride. And he knows that you and Muta are his most powerful adversaries, having thwarted the Cat Kingdom in the past. You must be extremely careful, Baron."
Baron nodded. "When is this wedding taking place?"
Lune looked out the window and replied grimly, "At sundown."
"Sundown?" Muta shouted. "We might only have a few hours then!"
"I'll be able to fly us there," said Toto.
"It's always night at the Duke's castle so you should be able to blend in the shadows," said Gareth. "You'll be able to hide in the trees of the forest until Haru is retrieved."
"Then it's settled," Lune said, standing up from his throne. "I'll go gather the troops. Yuki, please watch over the Kingdom until we return."
"I will. Please be careful," Yuki said, resting a paw on his arm.
"I will," Lune replied, taking a moment to nuzzle his head against his wife's before walking swiftly out of the throne room to gather some soldiers. Muta, Toto, and the Duke's three servants followed promptly.
Baron went also but hesitated at the door. He turned to Yuki and asked, "How was she?"
Yuki looked into Baron's emerald, eager eyes with her saddened, blue ones. "Not good. She's miserable with that duke." She looked to the floor for a moment in guilt. "She didn't want us to tell you where she was. She wants to keep you safe."
Baron also turned his eyes to the floor, not know what to say.
Yuki made her way across the throne room and placed her snowy paw on Baron's shoulder. "I know you'll rescue her, Baron."
"I will," replied Baron, "even if it does mean giving my own life."
Baron gave Yuki a reassuring smile and went to join the others while Yuki bent her head in silent prayer for their safe return before walking back to her throne.
Author's Notes: I also apologize that this chapter ended up being a lot of talking. I really hate it when there's seriously not much action going on so there're quotation marks left and right. But there will be more action in the future to make up for it.
I seem to always be going through some personal drama when I'm writing these, this time involving letting go of someone I love who let me go over the summer, who I think I'm supposed to be with. Keep me in your prayers 'cause honestly, I'm trying to hang in there but I'm not doing so hot. It's kind of consuming my mind every day. And you guys don't even know the half of it -_-' I'm feeling weak and could use some good energy being channeled my way.
On a lighter note, I just started my sophomore year of college (seriously, tomorrow is my third day) and it's going pretty okay so far. And I've decided on a major, just need to talk to a counselor in the department about it :)
Okay, another deep breath! –inhales- Thanks to laurashrub, Tamashi no Kuroneko, Bambi4ever, annemarie, Nonimouse, Gulliver's Landing, LeafeKnight7, CasualtyOfLove, chibi-kaze-sofia, Savannah Cullen, Metarose, Okami Hogosha, mizgardenia21, Prats 'R' Us, samuraistar, ShadowVixen, Marlene00891, pyrrhictears, Silence Navarathna, James Birdsong, EagleBlaze, Neatsue, Nichelle M, Treeni, aznchocoholic, FALLING-ANGEL24, bluecrystal angel, kisa-kara-chan, Furryfur, animefan0000012345, SilentHopeX3, AGB, and MimoriFanForever for your heartwarming reviews during this long, long break! Not only do I love writing this story but I wouldn't be as motivated without the kind words from you guys. At this moment (and I really do mean at this moment, as I sit at my desk in my dorm typing these words, which means that it could change even if I don't want it to) I'm determined to spend the next couple of weeks finishing this story. I want to be able to finish out this wonderful story and say that I wrote an awesome fanfic with a community that really likes it. And it's my first in forever! So please be patient with me and thank you for sticking with me even now, even after making you guys wait because of my indecision of what to write and when to write it and life. Thank you guys so much :)
