Chapter 9

BACKSTORY AND CAPTURE

Duck had run down the steep hill after Fakir and soon also began to tumble. They finally reached the bottom which turned out to be a shallow ravine and there was no way anyone could have kept Duck away from Fakir for another millisecond. She quickly rushed over to him and hugged him around the neck, her eyes beginning to brim with tears of happiness.

"Fakir, I thought I'd never see you again," she said.

"I told you I'd always be there for you," he said and hugged her back.

"I'm so sorry. I thought you had been killed by the Knight Riders and…and I nearly gave up hope," she said, her eyes sealed shut. "I will never doubt you again."

"Duck, look at me," he said and lifted her chin to look at him. "No matter what happens you can always count on me to be there for you. True love doesn't happen every day."

"Oh, Fakir, I love you so much," she said and kissed him.

"Whoa, zura!" Uzura cried. "Way too much lovey-dovey, zura! Too much, too much, zura!"

"What is the problem now?" Drosselmeyer asked annoyed. "I can't just read this simple little story without you interrupting me? Is your whole mission in life to make this story way longer than it really should be?"

"I don't want to hear the stupid lovey-dovey-kissy stuff, zura. Just get on with the excitement," she said.

"Well, the excitement comes with the 'lovey-dovey' so you'll just have to deal with it," he said and looked like he was about to read again.

"What about the Prince, zura?"

"What?"

"Is the Prince going to kill Fakir, zura?" Uzura asked.

"Why would you ask that, Uzura? There hasn't been any kind of foreshadowing about that has there?" he asked, a bit confused. "I don't think you heard what I read correctly."

"I heard just fine, zura. Never mind, zura, just keep reading," she said.

"Duck and Fakir began to make their way through the ravine when they heard and saw the Prince riding over the hill. Fakir didn't want to lose Duck to the Prince again and they began running to the most dangerous place in either Gold Crown or the Raven's Kingdom; the Fire Swamp," he read.

"Cool. A dangerous place, zura. I hope something exciting happens, zura," she said, hopping slightly.

"The Fire Swamp? What's that?" Duck asked as they ran. "It sounds…swampy."

"Well it is. It's the one place that nobody in their right mind would go into so we will be safe there," Fakir said and grinned. "I bet we could survive though."

"Survive? You mean nobody's survived in there before?" Duck asked, scared.

"Not that I know of," he said.

"But how can you be sure we'll survive it?" she asked and Fakir stopped running.

"Think of it this way Duck. Five years ago we lived on a simple horse ranch but now you're a princess and I'm the leader of the Knight Riders. I doubt that after accomplishments like that we are meant to die in the Fire Swamp," he said and grabbed her hand again. "Don't worry, there are only a few things to be wary of."

"And what are those?"

"Flame geysers, quicksand, ROUSs, and…the trees," he said and shrugged. "Nothing we can't handle."

"Are you serious? I hardly know how to run in high heels, how am I supposed to survive geysers, quick sand and…what are ROUSs?" she asked.

"Rodents of unusual size. But personally I don't really think those exist," he said and saw the Prince get closer. "Quick, no more time for talk. We need to get going."

He ran off with Duck in tow and soon they disappeared into the thick trees of the Fire Swamp. The Prince saw this and stopped his horses.

"Sire, shouldn't we go after them?" Rue asked.

"They must be crazy to go into the Fire Swamp. I doubt they will survive but in case they do we can meet them on the other side," Mytho said.

"Hey, Pique, did you see the guy that was with Duck? He looked really cute didn't he?" Lilliae asked slyly.

"What are trying to imply Lilliae?" Pique asked. "He's kidnapped Duck from her original kidnappers and they're probably going to die in the Fire Swamp, I seriously doubt now is a good time to play match maker."

"Pique and Lilliae, let's go," Rue said sternly and they all galloped off.

Once Fakir and Duck got far enough into the swamp they decided to slow down. It was much too dangerous to rush through and Fakir knew that.

"Fakir, how did you become the leader of the Knight Riders?" Duck asked. "I thought they killed everyone they attack."

"Well, what I said earlier was pretty much the truth. I did impress them when I fought them and they decided to train me so I could join them. At first I was afraid they were only doing this to get my guard down but as time passed they were genuinely telling me I could join their gang," Fakir said as he helped Duck over a large fallen tree. "I couldn't say no to them because then they really would have killed me and I knew I had to live so I could come back to you."

"Aw, Fakir," Duck said and blushed.

"They built up my immunity to poisons, taught me how to fight several different ways, made me stronger mentally and physically, and treated me fairly well. In fact, once you get to know them they aren't so bad. They only do what they do to survive because they're outcasts in the kingdoms," Fakir said and shrugged. "But I don't think I'd want to do that for the rest of my life."

"So, did the leader retire or were you promoted?" Duck asked.

"He retired and before he chose who would be his successor he had a contest thing and I won, fair and square. It got some of the others mad but eventually they calmed down about it," he said and smiled. "I still think I just got lucky with that but no matter how much training or fighting I did I couldn't think of anything but you. I tried to imagine what you'd look like now and I can see even my imagination couldn't get how beautiful you've become."

"You really think I'm beautiful?" she asked and looked at the ground.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it."

"Thank you," she said and held his hand.

She didn't care anymore about the dangers of the Fire Swamp or the pursuing Prince, she was just so happy to be with Fakir again and she felt so safe by his side.

They walked quietly for some time and just as Fakir was about to ask Duck something he felt her fall through the ground.

"Duck!" he cried and saw the ring of quicksand at his feet.

He quickly cut a piece of vine from a tree and dove in after her. It was a strange feeling to dive into the ground but he didn't let the unusualness of it stop him from reaching the Princess. He couldn't see but he soon found her hand and grabbed it. He pulled her and himself up through the sand until they reached the top where they both sucked in grateful gulps of air. They struggled the rest of the way out and Fakir couldn't help but smile a bit.

"What…what's so funny?" Duck asked out of breath.

"Nothing's funny. Danger number one is out of the way, I doubt we'll go through that again now that we know what to look for," he said and helped the girl to her feet. "But we still have to watch out for the other ones."

"Are you suggesting that we'll have to go through each one in turn so it doesn't happen again?" Duck asked. "Doesn't seem like a very good idea but I trust you Fakir."

"Thanks," he said and she smiled at him. "Let's keep going, I don't think we're out of danger yet."

They continued and soon ran into one of the flame geysers. It hit the bottom of Ducks dress and it was all she could do not to freak out completely as Fakir wacked the flames away. She had never been so close to getting burned and it scared her majorly.

"Can we leave yet? I don't want to run into one of those ROUSs next," Duck said as she clung to his arm. "Who knows what one of those could do to us. Exactly how big are they supposed to be?"

"I think they're rumored to be about the size of a medium sized dog but I don't really think they exist," Fakir said and smiled at the frightened Princess reassuringly.

"So far two of the rumors are true, do you seriously expect the last one to not be true?" she asked.

"The rumors here were started from fear. Someone probably walked past and saw just a normal sized rat and because they heard of all the other weird stuff in here their imagination made the rat five times bigger. It could happen to anyone," Fakir said and was immediately attacked from the side by a giant rat. "What? Holy crap, they do exist."

"I knew it," Duck said and tried to figure some way to help Fakir but she was too scared to think of using a branch or a rock to distract the creature.

Fakir wrestled with the rat and it clawed and bit him in the shoulder. He didn't let the pain stop him from fighting the beast and just as the rat was about to take another bite Fakir saw a flame geyser. He rolled over to it and burned the rat, letting it roast.

Duck rushed over and helped Fakir up, making sure he was okay.

"OMG, that was horrible. I can't believe it just randomly decided to attack you," she said then looked at his left shoulder. "Are you okay? That looks really painful."

"I'll be fine. We can worry about that once we're out of here," he said and began walking away.

Duck watched as he picked up his sword that had fallen out of its sheath in the battle and thought about just how amazing he was.

He may not be a prince but he's even better. He's my stable boy. He's far greater than any other man I'll ever meet. She thought and smiled at him as he looked back at her.

"Come on Duck. Let's get out of here," he said and she rushed up to his side.

They finally got out of the swamp and Duck sighed in relief.

"Finally. I thought we'd never get out of there," she said and hugged Fakir. "You were great."

"Thank you Duck," he said and hugged her back with his good arm.

"So we lived through the quicksand, the flame geysers and the ROUSs but if I remember correctly you also said something about the trees. Were they also dangerous?" Duck asked.

"Uh, no. They're just really creepy," he said and she grinned up at him. "Come on, let's go before…"

He stopped as the Prince and his entourage surrounded them. The entourage wasn't just Pique and Lilliae it actually had a bunch of other men who were following them silently keeping their thoughts to themselves and they now had the Rider and Princess trapped.

"Surrender!" Mytho called, his sword pointed at Fakir.

"Ah, you wish to surrender to me? Alright, I accept," Fakir said with a smirk.

"I give you full marks for bravery. Don't make yourself a fool," Rue said, she also had a sword pointed at him.

"Right, and how exactly will you capture us? We know the secrets of the Fire Swamp, creepy trees and all, and we could live there quite peacefully for some time," Fakir said pulling his sword out too. "So, whenever you feel like dying, feel free to visit."

"Surrender," Rue said.

"I don't care how many men you have or how many times you say that, it will not happen," Fakir said back.

"For the last time, surrender," Mytho said.

"Death first!" Fakir yelled.

"Will you promise not to hurt him?" Duck asked as she stepped between the banterers.

"What was that?" Mytho asked.

"What was that?" Fakir asked, just as confused as the Prince.

"Please, if…if I promise to go back with you will you promise not to hurt this man?" Duck begged.

"I don't understand. Didn't he kidnap you?" Mytho asked.

"No, he rescued me from my kidnappers, sire, and I only ask that you let him go free if I promise to return with you," she said sadly.

"Sire, I don't think that would be a good idea. He could be a spy for the Raven kingdom and he's tricking us to put our guard down so they can attack us," Rue said, glaring at Fakir.

"Duck, I will do as you wish but you may never see him again. He may have rescued you but it doesn't mean I must trust him," Mytho said then said to Rue. "If you want, you can banish him but I cannot kill my bride-to-be's rescuer with good conscious."

"Thank you, sire," she said and bowed.

"Fakir, I'm so sorry but it's the only way to keep you safe," Duck said turning back to him, her head hanging sadly. "I don't want to lose you again."

"You'd rather live with your Prince than die with your love?" he asked not looking at her.

"I can live without love but I can't live knowing I could have saved you from death. I just wish there was another way," she said and grabbed his hand gently.

"Of course Miss Duck," he said and turned away.

"Duck!" Pique called happily. "Thank goodness you're okay!"

"I had a blast chasing you down," Lilliae said as Duck was picked up and placed onto Mytho's horse. "What was it like to get kidnapped? Was it fun?"

Duck didn't answer, she was too upset about having to leave Fakir and she stared back at him and the rest of the entourage. Fakir also watched as she was taken and he felt his heart get crushed by an invisible hand. Two of the entourage men grabbed him as Rue got off her horse and walked up to him.

She circled him, looking at him intently and asked, "What is your motive? Why did you want the Princess?"

"It's none of your business," he said and a sharp pain went through his arm from the jolt one of the men gave to his left arm.

"You aren't from the kingdom of the Raven are you?" she asked. "I demand you tell me what you want with the Princess."

He stood silently, staring at the young woman with contempt.

"Fine, I guess I'll just have to force the information from you," she said and gave a signal to one of the men.

The last thing Fakir remembered was a sudden pain in the back of his head then he blacked out.


So, I've finally gotten some time to do more on my story. It's been a crazy last two weeks with my art contest ring-around-the-rosie and the final production at my high school. In fact the show was what inspired me to do this story and I bet you can guess what it was. Yes, it was the Princess Bride and I played Prince Humperdinck and yes, I am a girl. Believe me, this isn't my first male role.