Chapter 14: The Wild West

The Baron entered the Western Tower and noticed it was oddly empty. Rather it was in ruins. There weren't really any other floors, just slight ledges, as if it had never been a tower for safekeeping, and a broken spiraling brick staircase that hugged the outer walls. In fact, there was only a main floor and this ruin of a staircase. It seemed odd that, other than a bit of rope, there was no presence of Queen Yuki. He was certain here was the place.

He walked across the wooden ground when he heard a change. Hollow. He looked below, and noticed a small hidden door that one might only open using their finger as a handle. The hinge must be below. He hooked his finger inside the hole and opened it before propping it up. A basement of course! He stepped below and noticed the soles of his shoes began to get wet.

There was a leak down here undoubtedly. It was flooding fast. The room looked as if it has once held wine and ammunition for the soldiers. Except now, peering beneath the surface of the mid-level water, he noticed a cat that looked much like Yuki tied to one of the ceiling supports much too close to the ground, and weighted down for that matter. She hadn't been submerged for too long judging by the quick pace of the water rising, however too much longer and she'd pass completely out or drown.

However of course there was also the leak. If there was time to replace some of the knocked bricks in the wall, it would him more time, especially considering her weighted confine. It was clear the hole was made purposefully. The lack of oxygen to come up for air would be problematic in any attempt to rescue, especially if they became boxed in…

"Baron!"

The Baron hastily turned around to see Haru.

"Haru what are you doing here?"

"I came to find you."

"You're flush Haru. You should be back at the infirmary."

"But I can't. You need to know, I don't care now…. I was worried I might put you in danger with Santan around, but now I see I shouldn't have worried and just trusted you. Really, this is all my fault but Santan and Charnette are doing this so she can take over the throne as Queen. She's totally bitter about it."

"Relax you are rambling. However, this means my suspicions were correct. But I'm afraid Yuki won't make it if I don't go down there to save her now."

"But you'll drown! The water is rising way too fast in there! It's more dangerous than the mote was!"

"I'm afraid it's either try or stand here and watch her drown, and I couldn't possibly allow that."

"Is there anyway to stop it?"

"No, repairing the damage would be too difficult underwater, but I think it would be much easier to remove her shackles if she wasn't bound down to that pole. It would be a race against time." The Baron prepared to go under water.

"Then you grab the shackle and pick it, I'll untie her." Haru suddenly proclaimed rather potently.

"Haru what are you talking about? You nearly drowned last time, you're in no condition to-"

"I know I'm a cat right now, and I don't mind it as much as last time I'm not going to lie… but as a human I had a pretty good swimming record in gym, so I think it might be good to focus on that right now."

And with that Haru jumped into the rising water before the Baron could stop her.

The Baron sighed and followed immediately after. He noticed as she dove she looked more and more human. Haru was controlling who she wanted to be. Then why did she want to be a cat any other time? Was it confidence in herself she needed to rekindle again or something more?

The Baron went to the shackles and took out a small pin from his jacket to use on them as Haru untied Yuki's paws. Together they made quick work of it.

It wasn't soon after they'd both emerged as the Baron held Yuki carrying her out of the trap door, as she coughed up the water in her lungs.

"Baron? What happened?" Yuki asked horsely.

"Never mind that for now just rest." The Baron said and turned to make sure Haru was still okay. He looked down to see her coming up the basement stair and was surprised at what he saw.

"Haru…why are you turning back to a cat?"

"Well I-" She stuttered. Her paws were returning. She felt her heart beating beneath her. She wasn't sure if it was from the rush of the dive or something else…

The Baron looked at her curiously only for a moment when suddenly Charnette and Santan emerged into the tower.

"I told you that human girl and the Baron didn't just leave! That doctor lied to me and I suspected it!" Charnette hissed.

"Quite frankly I'm glad you know that we didn't. Yuki will be safe soon, so I suggest you not make this any more problematic for anyone, including yourselves." The Baron said.

"Oh give me a break, Santan you could easily take him out." Charnette said.

"Frankly, I'm over this sister… I don't attain much from your failed attempts to become Queen, but at the very least, I will at least get what I want." Santan looked at her dismissively, his peevish mood had not passed, as he suddenly pushed past his sister and bellowed towards them.

At that point, Muta had also emerged with King Lune behind.

"Get Lady Charnette Muta! Make sure she doesn't get away" The Baron proclaimed as he carried Yuki swiftly in his arms away from the black haired brute.

Muta grabbed the nape of Charnette's dress before she could escape. "Oh, no you don't!"

Charnette scowled and tried to claw at him, but instead he held her at arm's length. "Tell me I can get something to keep this girl down?" He asked irritated.

"My Yuki!" King Lune proclaimed as the Baron traded her off.

While all the commotion had temporarily stopped Santan from getting away, he took the liberty of snatching Haru's arm, and quickly made the decision to descend the broken staircase towards the upper ridges of the tower. "Do what you will with my sister, but for all this trouble I'm at least going to get my happy ending and revenge!"

"Happy ending? But- I don't-" Haru exclaimed as Santan escaped with her.

"King Lune, Yuki should be fine just get her to the infirmary, she is still breathing and I don't suspect much water has entered her lungs. I will attend to Santan. And Muta, keep an eye on her, no dungeon in this castle will suffice if it holds as many passages as we've found in the last few days."

With that the Baron nodded to Yuki and King Lune, and ran swiftly after Santan and Haru.

"Why would you go up these steps?" Haru asked squirming in his arms. "And who said I wanted to go with you?!"

"It's not your choice. I've decided for you. Lune is a petty fool, and my sister is much to concerned with becoming Queen then realizing it would have been much easier to kill them both and usurp the throne. Should I make it out of here I might do that myself."

"Are you kidding me?"

Santan looked to her, his grasp around her body tight in his arms. He was strong for a cat. "If you should try to escape you will only fall. It seems your Baron is attempting to run after us but he does not have a grappling hook does he?"

Haru quickly moved her head to see the Baron below just a level behind. He wasn't really a cat? Who knew if he'd make the fall? She surely couldn't land on all fours if she tried to escape! Cat or not, there was no miraculous wind surfing like last time. She had no such graces. She moved her head again to see the gap between the spiral stairs. There was no way the Baron could get to her if they crossed. She was still damp from the water. This was just not going to work out.

"You know Santan I originally thought you were an okay guy? But after this, you're just as dumb as the old Cat King was! Do you really think girls like this kind of chivalry? Because this is the worst!"

Santan was slightly off put by her blatant words. It was then Haru decided to bite her captor's paw just sitting on her upper arm.

"Agh!" Santan dropped her suddenly, as she hit the stair and fell over the gaping side only holding on by her paws. "You know I thought you to be an intriguing cat to live beside, but clearly your place isn't here. I'm leaving." Santan used his grappling hook to pass overhead leaving her there.

"Oh come on! This can't be happenin-in-in-aaachoo!" She sneezed and her grip slipped a bit, now barely holding on with one hand.

"Haru!" The Baron finally reached her. "Let me grab your hand!"

"But Santan is leaving?!" She tried to swing her other hand to grab his outstretched on. She lost grip of her other paw on the stone stair, leaving her purely supported by the Baron's grasp.

"He can't go far….just-just don't let go." The Baron instructed.

"I won't!" She said when suddenly she felt his glove slipping. "Your glove! I'm going to-aachooo" Her eyes widened as the sneeze made her grip loosen.

He looked cross and then took his other hand to his mouth, taking off his glove to show his strawberry-blonde hand outstretched for Haru to grab. She swung her other arm up and he grabbed her wrist, pulling her up slowly.

"Haru why must you get yourself in these positions?"

"I don't try. I never wanted that black cat to take me hostage? Why does everyone here think I'd make a good wife! I don't want to get married yet! Not to these cats!"

"All the same Haru, if you can manage, please return downstairs I think it best I continue from here."

"But how would you get across?"

"Well I did borrow a grappling hook from the armory a while back when I was looking for you. I thought it might come in handy."

"So I bit him for nothing?" She looked wide eyed.

"Rather I think you took things in your own hands. Plus any higher up would have ended much worse I'm sure." The Baron looked at her and when she caught his gaze she felt her face blush a little and nodded. She descended down the stairs slowly. She really wasn't sure how she felt about this place anymore.

The Baron looked ahead. He used the grappling hook he had, a very basic on of sorts, and continued to find Santan on the top floor on a ridge around the outside.

"Just in time I see." The Baron said wielding his cane like a sword.

"What do you expect to do with that?" He growled.

"If I must fight I will. But understand you're return to the ground would likely just cause Lune to banish you or some sort? If you leave now you'll forever be on the run. I'm sure a large Maine Coon like your self Sir Maicoon is not that easy to hide."

"If you must fight me, than at least let it be fair and not with a pathetic cane? Or would you rather die with no dignity?" Santan threw what appeared to be a second sword. "I always carry two. On a good day if one looses his sword, the opponent never suspects a spare."

"As clever as you are Santan, I never thought you would make such a passive cat to follow your sister down this hole?" The Baron made the first swing.

"It was pathetic, but what surprises me most is how you managed to entrap Haru into such affections? Surely I have more to offer her then a cat, who isn't even truly a cat? You couldn't even keep her or Queen Yuki safe! " He countered.

"Whatever affections you refer to, I do not entrap Haru. I only wish what is best for her, rather than trap her and force her to do what she clearly does not wish to. For what I am, I think that matters little. I am there when she needs me, that is all there is to it."

"Well then I expect you have a very shallow way of thinking Baron. Most women do not want a man who cannot support her at all times. Just the same, my pursuits in this Cat Kingdom are getting old I think I shall depart. I don't see the use in all this trouble, I spent a long time wasted under that King."

"On the contrary, I suspect you should also wish that you shouldn't have handed me a fair fight." The Baron spun around and quickly caught Maicoon off guard knocking his sword out of his hand, just as Maicoon had expected to escape. "Muta! Prepare yourself down there?"

"For what?!" A voice bellowed bellow. "It was hard enough constraining that sister you left me with? You're lucky they had spare rope in here! Don't tell me you're going to -" The Baron leaned over and could see Muta stood exactly where he wanted him to be.

"Prepare for what?" Santan echoed as he got on his feet again.

"This!" The Baron used his cane this time to push at Santan's abdomen suddenly, causing him to fall backwards into the plummet below.

"Incoming Muta!"

"Oh come on!"

The Baron used the grappling hook to descend and saw Maicoon was now putting up a fight, who after landing on Muta was now in his grasp. "Can somebody take this guy off my hands?" Muta complained, overpowering him. "I think he's worse than his sister! And just so you know I'm not a balloon or some trampoline to drop cat's on! Next time let me know so I can catch the person okay!?"

"Good job Muta." The Baron said simply as he nodded, just as Lune remerged with a bunch of army men.

"Is everyone safe? I recommend that Charnette and Santan be brought to the dungeons immediately." King Lune said clearly. "Muta do you mind assisting that endeavor?"

"What? Me? Of course not, I'm only here because I'm strong enough to pin everyone down anyway. What else would I be good for?"

With that the group left.

"Haru are you alright? You've been quiet." The Baron turned to her.

"I'll be fine. Just need a little rest…or something…"

"You were acting quite recklessly when you went after Yuki in the water?"

"I couldn't help it—ah-ah- choo!"

"I suspect we return you to the castle, you and Yuki will be resting for a while."

"I could probably use that. Although I feel like I've been sleeping for a lot of this trip already…and I should return soon…my mother might worry."

"Don't give it a second thought Haru. However I suspect you should need a good excuse for your Mother." The Baron said as he swept her up into his arms.

"You don't need to carry me?"

"You're soaked once again, and I believe I've heard you sneeze nearly four times."

"Just three times actually."

"Well, all the same I think it best if-" The Baron stopped short. He looked to his chest. Haru was already asleep, her head slouched in slumber.

He raised his head and walked back towards the castle, wondering what had changed since their last visit here…

Why did carrying Haru so close feel so different this time?