Book 2 The Tusk War, Chapter 15: The HMAS Reliant
It felt as though a hundred eyes were burning holes into his skull, which wasn't that far from the truth. Sweat was run down his forehead and he was nervously taping his fingers on his knee. Mimi sat beside him just as nervous but she hide it well and had a faint smile in her lips.
"So let me get his straight. You" His sister pointed at him, "Allowed her to pretend to be your wife while you kidnapped her?"
"I never kidnapped her." He replied calmly and straightforward, eyes meeting his sister's glare.
"Taichi!" She exclaimed. This was not a good sign as she usually called him 'big brother', this caused him to be taken back. "We are talking about the kidnapping of the Queen Regent. You could get executed!"
He looked at the others, they only had blanks on their faces. Even Ken looked as though he didn't know what was going to happen. Taichi felt embarrassed, if he had known his guest were to be someone who would recognize Mimi, he would have sent her over to the Bolton manor or someplace safe to hide.
"Look little sis..." He slowly stated and again to be stared down by her glare, "It's not like I wanted to upset the king, just that I couldn't leave Mimi with him. No offense Ken"
"None taken." Ken finally spoke up.
"So what now? Does Mimi go back to His Majesty?" Yolei asked.
"No!" Mimi screamed, "I'm staying with Taichi!"
Ken sighed and said, "My brother will choose another bride soon enough, he is too busy with relations with the Empire at the moment to be worried about a wife. If Mimi does not want to go back that's fine with me, Royal's laws do not exactly apply in colonies. And Taichi is pretty much untouchable right now, news has already appeared in Royal about his latest exploits against the Nijeri. My brother cannot afford to arrest the people's hero. For now Taichi is beyond the law."
Mimi looked esthetic, she quickly grabbed hold of Taichi's arm and held on to him firmly. His sister still steaming, Takeru was trying to calm her down without much success.
"So..." Taichi broke the silence that had developed, "Why are you all in South Wales? Saint Germain couldn't have ended the year already?" Taichi had already learned that morning Royal had acquired steam engines from the Empire as a sign of good will. Travel via airship to the colony had only taken the group three days.
"Oh yes." Ken replied and turned towards one of the servants near the entrance to the sitting room. "Please bring our guest in."
The doors opened and in walked a boy near Takato and Davis' age. He was wearing what to Taichi looked like a yukata, however instead of a plain colour like many male wore, his was golden yellow with an embroidery of dragons. Taichi noted the young man moved elegantly towards the sitting area, his head lift slightly higher to show a regal like stance.
"Let me introduce, His Majesty, the third prince of the Ming Empire, Lee Jianliang." Ken said as he stood to allow room for the boy to sit. The boy was followed by a large man with a large long sword attacked to his hips. Taichi could only guess the men was a body guard of some sort.
"I have heard many great stories about you captain." The boy spoke, his words indistinguishable from people who had spoke the language their entire lives. It was one aspect of this world Taichi never bothered to ask was how everyone spoke the same language and yet their names never reflected the country they were from.
"I will get straight to my point captain. I would like to commission your services. You see, there is a rebel in my country who has amassed a great many soldiers. Now they are not the problem, but the man, he is the danger." The Prince spoke formally, his bodyguard beside him with arms folder. The man unlike the prince was dressed in rags, a large shoulder guard on each side made him look all the more imposing.
"What makes you think I can stop him when you cannot?" Taichi asked.
"Simple, he is like you." The Prince pointed at him, Taichi was at a loss at what the prince had said. "The rebel, he has the ability to 'rank up' his Digimon in the same manner as you. In fact, he has the very same Digimon as you."
Taichi looked out the window where Agumon and the other Digimon were going about their business in the gardens. He knew that many people shared the same type of Digimon but as much as he was aware, he had always been told digivolution was impossible. This could only mean that the man they were after also had a Digivice. And then Taichi realized. Realized that this rebel may in fact also be from his world and may also have a way to connect the two worlds.
The prince looked up from where Agumon was and towards Taichi, "The rebel's name is." The Prince paused. Taichi was desperately hoping it was someone he knew from his world.
"Daimon Masaru."
Taichi recognized the name to be Japanese in origin, another thing that made Taichi want to meet him even more. He had figured from the prince's name he was from this world's version of China and it was a way for Taichi to get to Japan. It was not that Taichi needed to return to Japan, it was that he was desperately homesick. This was chance that he could not miss.
"I accept your offer Your Majesty." Taichi stood up and bowed the the man. The prince merely looked at Taichi quizzically. Taichi knew that shaking hands was not an accept practice in the east and from growing up with bowing as an act of respect, it only return naturally from someone of Japanese origins.
"I see that you are familiar with our customs." The prince stated.
"Yes your Majesty, I did not wish to disrespect you."
"Very well then." Ken finally spoke up, " We will be traveling to the Southern Capital on board the airship Reliant in a week's time."
They all gave a nod and the prince left with his bodyguard probably back to one of the inns they were staying at. Taichi's attention fell back to his sister and friends.
"I guess that means you guys are staying here?" Taichi spoke up once the Prince and his bodyguard was out of earshot.
"Someone has to keep an eye on you. There's no telling what you and Mimi has gotten into." Hikari replied. "I'm going to be sleeping in Mimi's room tonight, make sure your servants put in an extra bed."
"But I sleep with Taichi every night." Mimi spoke up innocently, which caused Taichi to bang his head on the wall he was previously leaning on.
Preview Chronicles of Le Monde Book 3: The Cross War
Her parents were angry with her, Lord Montague nearly fainted when after celebrating his daughters victorious summon in front of his great rival Lord Capulet, that his smirk had turn to a frown the instant Lord Capulet's son had complete his summoning. The two families would have gotten into a major fight if it were not for the interference of her fair Prince Katsuharu. If it were not for the fair prince, the city would have been in ruins by now because of the two feuding family. She never asked why the Montague and the Capulet were at war with each other, but she had heard from her maid that it steamed from an incident generations ago where both head of house had died at each other hand. She was told the two families put aside their feud in order to morn the two but soon fingers began to point at each family as the case of the tragedy.
She made her way through the small streets of Venice, preferring to walk instead of taking one of the small gondolas. As she rounded the corner leading up to the open space of the main market, she heard an argument, it was no doubt another squabble between the two families.
"Do you bite your thumb at me?" Asked a husky voice she was familiar with yet could not put a name to it.