AN: GAH!! I can't believe we're on chapter twenty-one already! I need to write more to this story––I have only up to chapter twenty-eight written (I'm starting on chpater 29) But right now, I've been interested in my original story called When Life Gets You Down. It's really awesome. I just started it this week and I'm on chapter four right now! yay! Well, yeah, I hope you enjoy chapter twenty-one!
NEXT UPDATE: THURSDAY MAY 14, 2009
ONCE UPON A TIME
BY SAPPHIRE ROSE E.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: THE CHALLENGE
The whole castle was in an uproar for the fact that the princess had been kidnapped. Once the king had received word that she would be returned to them unharmed only if Sir Kanata would participate in the given challenge, the king ordered Kanata to participate. Kanata willingly agreed this time. He wanted nothing more than to rescue the princess, even if it meant to challenge some buffoon.
It was already nearing noon. Kanata, along with the king and queen, headed to the palace's gates. Some servants were saddling two horses for the race. Seiya was standing by one of the horses. Kanata narrowed his eyes at the sight of him. Seiya turned to them and did not looked surprised to see Kanata's glaring look, but rather pleased.
"I swear," Kanata hissed, "if you harm but one hair on her head, you're a dead man, Yaboshi."
Seiya breathed out an uneasy laugh. "Calm down, my good man. I promise you that she'll be just fine." He passed Kanata and bowed before the king and queen. "I won't harm her, Your Majesties. You have nothing to worry about." As he knelt before them, he looked over his shoulder at Kanata. "As long as he accepts the challenge, you will get your daughter back."
Kanata glared at him and accepted the challenge. Seiya smiled in pleasure and turned his head back to the king and queen.
King Yuu looked down at Seiya with a cold, stern glare. "If she is returned to us harmed in anyway. I will have you banished from the kingdom. Maybe even thrown in the dungeon and then be put to death."
"I understand, Your Highness. I will have her returned safe and sound." Seiya told them, bowing his head before them.
Then he stood and walked over to Kanata. "Let's go over the rules, my fellow man." Kanata rolled his eyes at the terminology, which Seiya addressed him as, as Seiya handed him a map of the race. Kanata took it, opening it, and looked it over as Seiya continued, "At each check point there will be a red, or blue, rag draped on a tree, bush, or something or other. I will be collecting the blue ones, you the red. There are a total of four rags for the both of us. Time limit is until sundown.
"Rules are as followed: (1) you cannot get help from the outside, (2) you cannot use your horse to swim across the river, (3) you cannot use your horse from that point on, and (4) you are permitted to use your weapons, but you cannot use them to harm the opposing challenger." Seiya held out his head to shake on it. "Deal?"
Kanata folded the map, tucking it into his pocket. He shook Seiya's hand. "Deal." He agreed with seriousness in his voice.
The two men turned to mount his own horse. As Seiya mounted and turned his horse toward the starting line, he spoke, riding passed Kanata, "Oh, that's right. I forgot. The finishing line is a field with a windmill just east of the ravine."
Kanata had mounted his horse and joined Seiya at the starting line. Santa came over to them with a red flag in his hand. "On your marks," Santa started. "Get set." The horse snorted as the men waited for the final word. "Go!" Santa shouted waving the flag and being careful as to not be run over by the two horses. Seiya and Kanata took off toward the forest, leaving a trail of dust behind them. They entered the forest, neck and neck. Soon, they drifted farther and father apart. Kanata led his horse up a step, narrow path. The path led in the same direction as Seiya, but only it was faster than Seiya's way. Kanata could see Seiya below him, and soon Seiya was far behind him.
Kanata looked ahead. After an hour or two of riding, Kanata had finally begun to reach the top of the mountain. Seiya rode up the mountaintop, coming from the opposite side as Kanata. Kanata was shocked to see him arrive at the same time, but still he pressed onward. Kanata could see the rags of red and blue draped over a fairly low tree branch. He rode underneath it and pulled the red rag off the branch; then the horse continued canter down the mountain as Seiya rode up behind him, grabbing the blue rag off the branch.
The horses slid down the down of the mountain, occasionally jumping over a fallen tree or large rock. Once the horses were on flat ground, they broke out into a stronger, swifter run. Both men could see, passed the trees, the river up ahead.
Sunlight made its way through the window in a circular stone building. The random rays of light fell upon the face of a young woman. Miyu opened her eyes and looked at the averted ceiling. She sat up on her mat made out of straw. "Where am I?" She thought as she looked around and saw that she was on a platform that was at least two stories high. There was a pole standing in the center of the circular room. Large gears were attached to it like the building was one giant machine. Everything was made out of wood, except the building's wall fashioned out of stone.
She looked at the wooden platform, which she sat upon, and the straw mat. She saw that someone had left her a small bowl of water and a small loaf of bread. She reached for the bowl of water as she heard the rattling of chains. She looked down at her wrists and saw metal bands around her wrists with chains hooked to the bands and ultimately the wall. She pulled at them frightfully, trying to break free. But alas, it was futile. She sighed as she let her arms fall to her side. She gather her legs in her arms, holding her skirts to her legs, and rested her chin on her knees. She was trapped; she was a captive. She sniffled, trying to hold back her tears of fright. However, one lone tear broke loose and rolled down her cheek.
They both could see the river clearly as Kanata and Seiya rode through the forest toward the river. Seiya and his horse broke free of the forest's grasp and galloped onto the bank. He quickly dismounted and ran into the knee-deep water. The current was swift, but gentle compared to a normal day.
Kanata and his horse galloped out of the forest and he dismounted, running into the water. Seiya, however, was already swimming in the deeper part of the river. Kanata hurriedly swam into the deeper water, making his way across the river.
As the current grew stronger, Kanata and Seiya were pushed a ways downstream. However, they were quickly approaching the other shore. Once they had reached the shore, they both bolted out of the water and over to the bush where two rags––red and blue––were draped over the branches. Seiya grabbed the blue rag as Kanata, who was right behind him, grabbed the red, adding them to their collection.
Seiya firmly grabbed the rocks on the cliff before them. He pulled himself up to another rock and he began to climb up the cliff. Kanata started to climb right behind him.
Clang! Chains clanged against the wall as Miyu groaned she pulled again at the chains. Alas, she stopped, panting heavily. She had been struggling against those chains for a long time. She slumped against the wall, watching the stream of light from the window as it was cast down on the floor and the pole. Every few seconds, something would pass over the window, blocking the light. The images blurred as the tears began to well up again in her eyes. And this time, she let them fall. "Mama, Papa, please save me, please. I'm so afraid, Kanata…."
Kanata looked up ahead of him. He still had a long way to go for he was only halfway up the cliff. He could see Seiya only a meter or two head of him. He pulled himself unto a ledge and stood up. Though he was tired, he still pressed forward. He had to rescue Miyu. He just had to.
Seiya grabbed a hold of a small tree that was growing on another ledge on the side of the cliff, and he hoisted himself up. He stood and looked back down at Kanata who was starting to scale the wall of rock underneath his feet. "Looking tired, I see." Seiya called out to him.
"I see that you're looking like a arrogant jerk!" Kanata hollered up at him.
Seiya only chuckled at the small fun. Then a surprised looked came over his face as he said, "Oh, that's right." Kanata stopped climbing and looked up at him. "I told you what would happen if you won, but I forgot to tell you what would happen if I won."
"Which is?" Kanata asked, hoping that he would hurry up and tell him.
"If I win," Seiya smirked, "our dear, little princess will become my bride."
Kanata's face grew horrid. He snapped his head up at Seiya and narrowed his eyes up at him. "You bastard! That's not what we agreed on!"
Seiya waved a finger in front of his face. "I never told you what would happen if I won, and now I have." Then he turned and finished climbing the cliff.
Kanata, with a bit more energy, continued to climb up the cliff as well. He reached the top only seconds after Seiya. He sprinted over to a low tree branch where a red rag was hung. He snatched it and chase after Seiya into the forest, dodging trees and their branches, and leaping over fallen trees, roots, and rocks. All the while, he kept a close eye on Seiya and ran only a few meters behind him.
However, somehow he lost track of him. He only looked down at the ground for a split second, but it only took that long for him to lose track of Seiya for when he looked up, Seiya was out of sight. Kanata looked ahead and saw that the trees of the forest were thinning out. Soon, he ran out of the forest and into a small clearing. The clearing abruptly ended forming a ravine. An old wooden suspension bridge was drawn over the ravine, connecting the two sides.
Seiya was halfway across the bridge. He stopped and looked back at Kanata. Once he had seen Kanata, he bolted across the bridge. His actions made the bridge wobble and bounce.
Kanata chased after him onto the bouncing bridge, sprinting at a tremendous speed. Hastily, he made it halfway across the bridge to where Seiya had once been standing.
Seiya, on the other hand, was already on the other side of the bridge. He bent over and pick up a bow and arrow. He loaded the arrow in place and aimed. He released the arrow and it flew passed Kanata. Kanata, shocked, ducked and the arrow flew, striking the pole on the other side. The arrow struck the rope tied to the pole and the rope began to rip. Kanata looked desperately at Seiya. "You cheater!" He shouted as he grabbed onto the rope railing. The rope on the pole slowly snapped and the bridge tilted to the left. Kanata, holding onto the railing, started to run across the broken bridge as fast as he was allowed.
Seiya drew back his bow––arrow in place––and aimed at the other pole. He let the arrow fly into the air, striking the other pole and its rope. The rope began to rip and soon it snapped loose; that end of the bridge began to fall.
Kanata acted quick and grabbed onto the boards of the floor of the bridge. The whole bridge began to fall and soon it slammed against the wall of the ravine as only the ropes tied to the poles above him were holding it. He grunted and flinched at the strong impact of hitting the wall. He looked above him to see Seiya looking down at him. Seiya gave him a mocking smile and said, "All's fair in love and war!" Then Seiya turned on his heels and ran into the forest.
Kanata gave a puzzling look to no one at all. He was confused at Seiya's words. He knew what Seiya meant. But as to why Seiya had said them, Kanata had no clue. He shook his head and began to pull himself up the broken bridge.
After a while of pulling himself up, he finally made it to the top. He pulled himself onto the dirt. He looked and saw the red rag draped over the pole of the bridge. He grabbed it and raced into the forest.
Seiya was nowhere in sight. All Kanata could see, as he ran, was trees, rocks, logs, and plants. He ran headstrong, through the forest, keeping his eyes pealed for a clearing, or even Seiya himself. As he ran, he caught his foot on a root and fell face first into the dirt, skidding and rolling down a steep decline. Once he had stopped rolling, he quickly stood up, wiping the sweat and dirt from his brow, as he immediately sprung forward, running through the forest once again. He could see it. The trees were thinning out into a cleared part of the forest.
Dark storm clouds gathered into the sky. The fresh scent of rain was thick in the air. A strong wind picked up, blowing the blades of a windmill, along with the branches of tress and the high grasses in a spacious clearing.
Kanata ran out of the cluster of trees into the high grass. He looked straight at Seiya who sat on a boulder. Seiya watched him with a smirk as Kanata held his four red rags into the air and let them go with the wind. The rags flew into the air never to be seen again. Seiya mimicked his action and the blue rags flew away with the wind. Kanata never watched a single rag fly nor did he look at any movement. He only stared into Seiya's eyes.
Seiya smirked, breathing out a laugh, and looked at him as well. Confidence filled his face. "It seems that I have won."
NEXT TIME ON ONCE UPON A TIME: CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: THE DUEL