Chapter 11: The Procession

"Baron! Baron!"

Baron turned around to see Muta running – rather slowly, it had to be admitted – towards him and Toto. "What is it, Muta? Not more bad news I hope?"

The larger man reached them and leant against the wall, his breath taking several minutes to return. Grinning, he shook his head. "No, rather the opposite. Naoko has agreed to let us stay."

Toto frowned, but Baron didn't react.

"What's the matter?" Muta demanded. "I thought you'd be happy. It's what you wanted, isn't it?"

"Toto's sensed a portal opening," Baron said quietly. "It's only a couple of miles outside the village and it's definitely Cat Kingdom."

"He could be wrong. Birdbrain's been wrong before."

"This time I'm certain," said Toto tiredly. "I even shifted and scouted the area. Louise's coming with an entire parade and her father. They'll be here before nightfall."

"Are all the spells holding?"

Toto nodded. "Yes, but the closer they get, the harder it is. Shifting to crow really took it out of me to boot."

Muta glanced at Baron, then back to Toto. "What about him?" he asked, pointing in Baron's direction. "Can you keep his spell up?"

"Yes, but only just. Baron, did you get the chance to tell Haru?"

"I tried. We were interrupted and I had to make an abrupt departure."

Toto groaned. "Baron, she needs to know about this. If you don't tell her, Louise will. And Louise will make sure it hurts Haru; she'll take pleasure in watching her heart break. I doubt she's forgiven Haru for stealing your heart."

"I gave Haru my heart, she didn't steal it."

"That doesn't matter to Louise, Baron, you know that. Also even if we were leaving as originally planned, we won't be able to get away quick enough to avoid her. This time we have to face the music."

"I know."

"So when are you going to tell Chicky?" Muta asked gruffly. "You're running out of time."

"I don't know whether Haru's mother has forgiven me fully even if she has agreed to let us stay longer. She might be still angry over our dance."

"You're not trying to get out of telling her, are you Baron?"

"I picked up the courage to tell her when I visited her–"

"You mean when you climbed up her house," put in Muta.

"Oh, you didn't actually do that, did you?" asked Toto. "That was slightly over the top."

"Over the top, big time," said Muta.

"Naoko wouldn't let me see her. I had to resort to other methods. Anyway," continued Baron, faintly embarrassed, "it took some guts just to start to tell her, and then I was interrupted. It's not as if it's your average everyday confession."

Muta snorted. "You can say that again."

"I have no idea how she'll react."

"She'll take it better from you than Louise, I can tell you that."

Baron moved away, holding his head. "But what if she hates me?"

"You'll never know until you ask her."

"Yes, and she'll probably run away screaming. Or she'll think I'm mad."

"Which would you prefer?" chuckled Muta.

"This isn't a laughing matter!" snapped Baron, hitting Muta over the head. "This is serious!"

"Look, if you want to get a chance to tell Haru, we're going to have to head back now," said Toto, passing the opportunity to insult Muta, but still sending him a narrow glare. "I suspect it's going to take you some time to bring the subject comfortably into the conversation."

"Well, I can hardly just start the discussion with it, can I?"

"I'd like to see you try."

Baron hit Muta over the head again. "Idiot. Come on, let's get going."

ooOoo

"Have you seen them? Haru, have you seen them?"

Haru caught her friend by the wrists. "Seen who?"

"The visitors!" squealed Hiromi. "Tsuge's just come back from the fields saying he saw something like a parade walking down the road to the village, and now the whole village seems to know. How could you have missed it?"

"Easily, apparently. How far off are they?"

"Only a couple of hours, the entire village is buzzing to prepare for them!"

"Do you even know anything about them?"

"Who cares? Tsuge said it looked like royalty, what with the number of people! We're planning on making a proper welcome."

"Well... good for you. Am I needed for anything?"

"I'm helping my mum, but I think your mother will need some help. She's cooking for the feast, like most the other women are."

"We don't even know if they are royalty. Or if they're even stopping here."

"We've never had anyone important come through here, and we're planning on making the best out of it. We can hardly turn them away."

Haru waved Hiromi's comment away. "They're still just people. Wait – you said royalty?"

Hiromi grinned. "Tsuge said maybe."

"Exactly why does he think they're royalty?"

"As I said, the number of people. You don't organise a procession like that unless you can afford it. Plus, there was this woman; Tsuge said she was dressed fit for a princess."

"You're sure it's not just rumours?"

"Tsuge saw her."

Haru laughed. "And of course that means that it's infallible."

"Tsuge's reliable. Anyway, he wasn't the only one."

"A princess..." murmured Haru, remembering something Baron had told her. "I wonder..."

"Haru, are you okay? Does it matter if she is a princess? It's not like you'll know her."

Haru hesitated, then shook her head. "Of course I'm okay. It's just a coincidence. I'll go and see if my mum needs my help."

ooOoo

"Haru!"

Naoko looked up from her place at the oven, surprised by Baron's sudden entrance. "Baron, you could just knock, you know," she said. "Haru's not here."

"It's important. Where is she?"

"She's running some errands for me; she could be anywhere in the village currently. She also might be helping some other people, if she's been asked. Why? What is it?"

Baron was already halfway out of the door when Toto entered, panting. "Baron, it's too late. She's arrived."

"You said we had an hour left!" snapped Baron.

"I was wrong," admitted Toto. "She must've used magic to speed up her arrival, because she's here. She must've known that you were planning on telling Haru."

Baron turned away angrily and walked away from the house. "What do you want me to do, Toto? Because right now I'm running out of choices and I don't know where Haru is."

"You search for her, and I'll keep an eye out for Louise."

"She'll recognise you."

"Not," said Toto, "if I shape-shift."

"You're tired out enough, what with my spell and the house spells."

"I can manage."

"No. I need you to be alert and ready to act if the case arises. If you're going to watch Louise, just keep out of plain sight. Don't let yourself be spotted."

"Don't worry, I won't. I have more sense than that. And Muta's already playing look-out, so we have time for you to find Haru."

"We have no time!"

"Yes we do! This is important, we will make time. Or would you rather Louise spilt your secret?"

Baron glanced back at the house, where Naoko was watching them, but wasn't picking up any of their conversation. "Fine," he muttered. "You stay here; Haru might return. If she's doing odd jobs she might return back here to help her mother."

"Where do you think she is?"

"How should I know? Urgh, I hate not knowing. Without your spells to protect her, she's so vulnerable."

"You think I haven't realised that?"

"Of course not, it's just this is making me nervous."

"Yes, I know. But you need to keep a calm head, or you'll just run into trouble."

Baron started to walk along the garden path, giving a short laugh. "Forget about me running into trouble; I've already fallen face first into this lot."

ooOoo

"What are you doing here, Chicky? Baron's been looking all over for you."

Haru passed a bag containing cloth she'd been carrying to a woman from the village before turning to Muta. "I was running errands," she said. "Everyone, it seems, needs something collected from somewhere, what with everything that's going on. I've been clean working my fingers to the bone. Anyway, I thought I might come and see our visitors. Come and see what all the fuss was about."

"Royalty," snorted Muta. "All show and pomp. Don't see why everyone's so excited."

"We get few visitors here. Even fewer are well-known people. And why is Baron looking for me?"

"He's worried for you."

"That doesn't tell me anything. He's been worried for me for ages. Any particular reason or are you just going to completely leave me in the dark?"

"Said he needed to talk to you."

Before he could get any further a hyper Hiromi rushed over to Haru and started to drag her away. "Haru! What are you doing here, at the back of the crowd? You won't be able to see a thing here! Come on, let's get a closer look!"

Haru looked over her shoulder at Muta. "Tell me later," she called and allowed herself to be hauled through the crowd.

She finally was able to get a good look at the newcomers who'd sent such a thrill through the village. There was something unusual about them, but nothing that Haru was able to pin down specifically. Maybe it was the gentle, lilting way in which they walked, which made them seem more elegant than your average human. Maybe it was the way their eyes were angled more to that of a cat than a human's.

There were several light-bearers, who held in their paws – hands, she mentally corrected herself, why did she think paws? – golden staffs on which delicate balls of light shone and a couple of burly security guards strolled along the side. They were keeping close to the two carriages in the middle, obviously holding the most important guests of the procession.

Forward stepped a man, small in stature and rubbing his paws – hands – together somewhat nervously. He was doing his best to appear calm, and it looked as if remaining calm was his job, as he beamed out at the crowd that was – basically – the entirety of the village who'd come to witness their arrival. His rapid motion with his hands was the only giveaway of his nerves.

"Ah, well, thank you all for giving us such a warm welcome," he started. "We are truly honoured by such a kind reception..."

"Narotu," interrupted a voice from within one of the carriages, "dispose with the niceties already." The voice was feminine, and sounded very bored by the man's words. "I did not come here to listen to you do small talk with the locals. Remember, we have a purpose."

Narotu swept off his hat and fumbled fretfully with it between his fingers. "Yes, your majesty. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present the Princess Louise."