Frostbane
Chapter 9: Rise of the King
Author's note: right. new chapter! Also, I have an announcement to make. I'm growing increasingly uncomfortable with writing with Po as the main character, or any of your usual Dreamworks created characters. I mean, Po, he has his personality defined, I'm not doing any good with him either. So, why am I telling you this? If you look at my story's description, there will be no Po or Tigress, just OCs. I wanna write with my own characters. Respectfully, if you want more TiPo, I'm not for you, alright? please, but if you want a new experience with new characters in my own world, you're welcome to it. FrozenTongue
Disclaimer: I do not own Kung Fu Panda!
Marron groaned painfully, he ached his back, eyes blurry. His head was hurting, and his wrists, ankles, and neck, were shackled. Dim light met his eyes, the old wolf could feel the moist and humid small chamber he was in. Fusing his eyes to get a better vision, the old wolf rubbed the temples of his head.
" Where am I?" he asked himself, trying to stand up. His shackles were bound to the wall, cold steel mercilessly bit into his flesh.
" Satisfied yet, Lord Regent?" A voice suddenly broke the silence. Marron startled, turned to the source, and he recognized the speaker. The same cloaked man earlier that...day? was it? Or Days? The enigma stepped closer to the dim light, revealing a half metal mask painted red, with a hideous scar tainted the right side of his tiger face.
" I'm not surprise with your methods." Marron replied coldly.
" Hm, typical. He told me that you'd act like this." The enigma calmly said, " Enjoy your stay Lord Regent. Now if you excuse me I have much more important matters to discuss." Then he turned his heels and calmly moved away.
" WAIT! What is your purpose with me?" Marron quickly shouted out, loud enough to hear. He was confused. Why would they took him if they hadn't even planned to torture him or something?
" I thought you knew Lord Regent. We used this strategy before." He turned his head to the side and smirked, " Oh well, ponder in your thoughts." Then he disappeared behind the cover of the dark.
" Is it time yet baby?" Viper nicely asked her partner. The reptile coiled tightly under her cover. Za Shen, half of his body fully up,sitting by the window, watching the sun's process. The mamba turned to reply:
" Not yet babe, but almost." he replied, sending a reassuring smile on the way.
" I wonder how the kids are doing?" Viper pondered on the images of her offsprings. Of course ten years were enough for them to think about having kids.
" They'll be fine my love! Don't worry, they're in great hands! And at this age, they should be be themselves now darling. At least, that's what I've known." Shen shivered, remembering the days when he was young in Africa. No parenting, just him. And Kann...
" I know honey." Viper relieved, unintentionally snapped Shen out of his flashback. Shen blinked twice, turning to face his wife," I just want them to have a well prepared childhood."
"They will my dear." Shen smiled, slithering towards his wife, " Give them time." He said.
Just as the snake finished his sentence, someone came rushing through the door. Shen turned quickly to the event, then Viper turned. An imperial messenger.
"The emperor requests your presence, Masters." The duck breathed heavily.
"What is it?" Viper asked, eyes scanning wildly.
"I'm sorry Master Viper, but that's my order." The duck bowed his head low.
"Let's go get Po and the rest." Shen suggested, just as the duck rushed out to inform more of the band. Viper nodded in response, then the reptile couples slithered out, heading to the rooms of their fellow masters.
"Have you inform the emperor of my presence?" Kann asked, while striding through the halls, preparing hiss outfit. Kann had changed from his Frost Guard desguise into a royal Northern robe fit for a newly crowned king. Along side him, Mitch accompanied him with the Frost Guards safely escorted the two. Kann removed his gauntlets then wristguards, handed them to Mitch, who took them with no second words. Kann then handed Mitch his mask as well, then his black and blue tunic. Alvin the Frost Guard handed him a sapphire blue silk shirt with silver patterns along the sleeves. Kann shoved his arms through the holes, buttoning it down and straightened the collars and wrists. Then a Frost Guard handed Kann a long tailed silver silk sleeveless jacket. Kann shoved his arms in, strapped the small decorative chains that was designed to look like ice, around his chest, attaching it to the otherside of the jacket. The jacket formed a tail, the back had curving patterns followed all along to the neck to the high collar of the jacket. (maybe I'll ask my partner to sketch it out for you later).
"I have. He's expecting you." Mitch replied. The group could all sensed the urgent matter before them.
"So this is it? Hah boys? And any news from the Valley of Peace? We sent a legion over there a few weeks back." Kann asked, still working his feet along the corridors to the throne room.
" Not yet Kann. Let's just focus on the matter at hand." Mitch advised, " I'll handle the rest."
"Alright then." Kann cleared his throat.
Reaching the throne room, Kann haulted in front of the door. He took a deep breath, adjusted his clothes, then strongly pushed the doors open.
The young emperor sat roughly on his throne, switching positions in a few seconds, anxiously awaiting the so called "king of Dain"s arrival. In the room stood two lines of respected leaders around the nation still presence in the city, the rest, was on duty elsewhere. They gathered in formation on the two side of the path to the throne, sitting patiently. One side gathered all the refined and well known poets and writers, scholars of all kinds. The other half, sat the famed generals and lords that contributed in the empire's wars and battles. And next to the young tiger, was a red fox in blue robe, whispering things into the emperor's head.
"Where's this *king* that is so desperate to present himself to me?" The young tiger grumbled, annoyed.
"He's on his way, your highness. Your request was quite sudden, give him time to prepare." The fox advisor smiled behind the emperor's head, but his words were audible.
" Whatever. Make it quick! I don't have all day!" The emperor grunted.
The fox nodded, then glanced his eyes to the guards behind. The guards also responded with understanding nods, then set out to find the white wolf.
Just as the two guards were placing their hands on the doorknob, the door itself plunged open loudly, gathering everyone's attentions.
Set a foot in, a tall well-built white wolf with sapphire silk shirt, sapphire robe covering his legs, a dark blue sleeveless jacket on top of the shirt, with silver patterns along the torso and the neck, with decorative frost-looking chains scissoring across its chest.
The wolf stood tall, proudly. The Frost Banshees were shealthed in their scabbards along his waist. He opened his mouth to speak, voice still full of youth yet full of maturity:
" I've come, to present myself." He bowed respectfully.
The audience was surprised, so was the emperor and his advisors. But only for a while. Then the young tiger resumed his earlier state.
" Wow, welcome, your highness! To my chamber!" The emperor faked a modest look, " Now what can I do to you?"
Kann showed no emotions out on his face, but inside, he despised the young emperor sitting in front of him. Kann curved his lips, and smiled confidently:
" I simply here to ask you a favor, your highness!"
" A favor?" The tiger questioned, "What kind of favor?"
" To host my coronation, your majesty. i am merely a king of a small city, which is in need of your protection. Surely such a mighty emperor can provide my humbled citizens with proper care?" Kann worked his tongue skillfully like a snake, something he picked up from Za Shen.
" Hm." the young tiger acted as if he was pondering. In truth he was all flattered by Kann's words. " Why not?" He smiled proudly, a foolish smile. Kann could now snickered silently out of the tiger's range of sight. The fox fused, angrily stare at the company, behind the throne.
Po, Tigress along with the furious Five and Za Shen rushed to the meeting chamber. passing the last corridor, the group found out that they were too late. The doors were opened as they stopped in front of it. Crowds of scholars and military officers spreaded out, leaving the group to stay stuck in one place. But Po saw something. Far inside the chamber, the group of Northerners. With a familiar white wolf, but he couldn't tell. He wondered if he had seen that wolf. The group of Northerners quicly exited the chamber by another door, the white wolf turned his back against Po, and began his exit.
" What happened?" Tigress grabbed a scholar by the arm and asked. The old goat turned and said:
" The emperor will host a coronation of a new king from the North. His name's... I don't remember exactly." He slowly whispered with aged tone.
Tigress thanked the goat, then proceeded to inform her company.
" A coronation? Now?" Shen asked, bewildered.
" Yes. A new Northern King will be coronated. I guess Marron was captured last night. They must be doing this to keep the leadership, and to keep the people calm. I believe it is necessary." Po gave in some wise words, earning a proud glance of Tigress, though it was a short one.
" So what about our meeting Po?" Viper asked. She turned to look at the panda, followed by all the others. Po scratched his head:
" Well, I guess we could, delay it?" Po relied sheepishly. He suspected something was up, since, Kann's return and Marron's disappearance. But he didn't suspected that it would happen so quickly.
" So now what?" Monkey flung his arms in the air, showing his displeasure.
" We follow the crowd and meet this new king!" Po exclaimed childishly, " I thought you guys would figure it out sooner."
Po and the gang arrived at the courtyard in front of the Imperial Palace, and the place was packed. The words were given out quick enough, but a coronation of another nation's king right in the middle of the empire was not an everyday sight. So, in conclusion pretty much everyone had come.
" Did you hear? The emperor is hosting a coronation! what a rare occasion!" One civilian said.
" Yeah! How often can you attend to a coronation? And now it's right in our city!" the other replied.
Po heard so much more ramblings and talkings, so much that it hurted his senses.
" Quite a noisy crowd we have here." Tigress commented. The group nodded in response. But Po turned his head around with fused brows and shouted:
"WHAT?"
"I SAID, QUITE A CROWD!" Tigress shouted back to him.
"OH." He shouted back.
suddenly, the gong echoed out a banging shockwave, grabbing everyone's attention. All looked up to the balcony of the palace. Then, the emperor walked out, elegantly, nobbly. Standing in front of his people, hands fermly grabbing the handrail, he spoke:
" My citizens, my people. Today, we gather, to witness, a rare event!"
Came the roar of the crowd.
" Today, we witness, an event that personify this nation's greatness!"
Came again the roar of the crowd.
" Today, a minor nation chose to bow before us, through having its king coronated right here, in our capital!"
The roar went louder.
*In the back*
"You ready, Kann?" Asked Mitch the white tiger, fixing his friend's robe the last time.
"As soon as he shut up that is." He whispered. Mitch held a laugh.
"Come on. it's your turn." Mitch opened up the curtain, revealing to Kann the dim light of the sunset, and the roaring crowd beneath the palace. Kann haulted a bit to fix his eyes to the atmostphere, then walked out, confidently, his aura overpowered the weakly emperor before him.
"Here we are! The crown prince of Dain, heir of our neighboring kingdom in the North, is having his king's days to start here!" The emperor roared to the people.
" IT'S KANN!" Shouted Shen, " I recognize him anywhere!"
The group were shocked, all dragged their eyes to the balcony. And there stood a big white wolf, with royal foreign robe on him.
"Then it's true, he did survive. And now he has return!" Shifu exclaimed.
Kann kneelt, bowed his head, and after that, two royal servants walked out with his crown and royal staff, a smbol of power, on two royal cushion. The emperor took up the crown, then gently put it on Kann's head.
" Here I pronounce you Kann Frostbane, King of Dain, Guardian of the North." Kann gently looked up when he had put the crown. Then he took the staff given by the emperor.
"You may stand. Let my people witness this." The emperor slyly smiled, a mocking smile. Kann swore if they hadn't been standing right in the middle of the Emperial City, he would have knocked that runt's teeth out. Kann stood up, revealing himself more clearly to the crowd below.
"There, now he's king." Mitch thought, standing in the back of the curtain. The crowd cheered for the wolf's name, ironically, just a small portion of the crowd and the groups of heroes he called friends saw his face.
Author's note: already then! that took longer than I expected! OK, ok I have been lazy! Too lazy! geez. caught up in a relationship, school and the fact that I was the only one I know that write these is really lonely and disencouraging. So I was stuck for a while! So, so sorry for the wait, if anyone waited at all! FrozenTongue out!