Karneval: Voyage to Rimhakka

Voyage to Rimhakka

Author's Note: Is this story really still going? Wow. Sometimes I amaze myself with how long I can run with a single simple idea. I never expected this story to last this long. I don't know that it will end up as long as "Shiki Karneval", but it's already longer than either "Tarnished Silver" or "Another Way Part 3". I think we're done with all the songs, though. Hey, another anonymous Kudos on AO3, thanks so much! ForeverHoneyBee, thank you for your review on the last chapter as well. Oh, and the people at the end of this chapter, rather than create new characters, I'm simply using some minor side character names, majorly changing the ages for some of them in the process, I admit. Though, I do feel sorry giving them this role, please don't go back to the original series hating them!

Chapter 24: Desperate Measures

Yogi landed on the cot in the dungeon with a thud as Nima threw him in. Her ability to morph through objects and travel by shadow made her the only one who could toss him in an already locked cell. Nima smirked. "You're not going to get any special treatment down here, little prince," she chuckled. "You may have already noticed, this room is different from the normal dungeon cells? No windows to allow the sun, the walls are reinforced to withstand explosive blasts, and are practically air tight to prevent sound. I honestly don't know why Lord Uro gave your little pirate lover to me so I could throw him in here, earlier, rather than letting that idiot Kiharu handle things. Perhaps he felt a small twinge of pity towards the idiot, after beating Kagiri so badly. Who knows?" She smiled, glancing towards the blonde prince, a finger poised curiously beneath her chin. She gave a quiet laugh. "By the way, if your considering pulling the same stunt with me that you used on poor Lady Mine, I suggest you rethink yourself. Lord Uro and I are the only ones who have the means to pass in and out of this room at will. As you'll notice, there's no sign of a door on this side of the walls." She giggled. "Sleep well, little prince."

Nima started to move into the shadows, fully intent on leaving Yogi alone in this cell. "Wait!?" Yogi exclaimed. "Lord Uro said that Captain Gareki's escape may change things when your emperor is informed of what's happened. If… If they find and catch him, what will they do to him?"

"Who knows," Nima answered with a shrug. "Rather than toying with Princess Eleska's heart, perhaps you should have thought your own plan through better. If we catch him tonight, your pirate friend just might find himself publicly hanged by noon tomorrow. It all depends on Emperor Palnedo's mood." She laughed at the look of worried hopelessness creeping across Yogi's face and left before he could utter another word.

Yogi sank back onto the cot, curling his knees up to his chest and locking his arms around them. "Gods, no…" he whimpered, "Gareki, please don't do anything rash." He couldn't bare the thought of the young captain rushing back for him and getting himself hurt or killed in the process. "I should have left with them like he asked me to," he thought, "I didn't realize we were being spied on by that woman. But, I knew if Lord Uro opened that door and found me gone, the whole castle would be on high alert. I was hoping to buy them some time. But now, I'm sure they know he's not on the castle grounds anymore." Yogi blinked as another realization hit him. How long had the shadow Varuga been in the room? How much had she heard? Was it possible that they also knew the Fuchsia Usagi had never come into the waters of Kafka and that the Kuroi Hitsuji was still out there being cloaked? "Oh gods!" he exclaimed out loud, quickly throwing a hand to his mouth. "Please, Gareki, get the girls home and be safe!" he thought. He dared not speak out loud any further. If Nima was spying on them in the bedroom, the last thing he wanted to chance was running the risk of the same happening now and letting something slip. His eyes scanned the cell, it was dark and dreary, and sure enough there appeared no signs of a door anywhere within his view. "A cell?" he scoffed, shifting slightly on the uncomfortable cot and remembering Nima's warning that the walls were reinforced to prevent sound from leaving, "This may as well be an oubliette!"

There was no sleep for the prince this night. The bed was hard and uncomfortable. The sheets and pillows were tattered from age, and in the dark it was difficult to tell, but he could have sworn there were blood stains on them and the mattress. On top of that, his mind was wrought with worry over the others. His sisters, his bodyguards, his, dare he say friends? His…lover… All of them had been thrown into this ordeal, all because Emperor Palnedo had tried to be sneaky about arranging a betrothal for Princess Eleska. What was it that Palnedo wanted exactly? Clearly the princess had no interest in such an arrangement, so why try and force it? The only thing he'd be able to gain would be… "Rimhakka…" Yogi thought aloud, blinking in realization. "Was he hoping to gain control of the throne and our assets through this marriage?"

Horror struck the prince as realization began to settle in. Everything was so subtle on Palnedo's behalf. He'd taken Eleska to Rimhakka in hopes of arranging the marriage, which he knew the king would refuse. He'd sent Uro, Kagiri, and Kiharu with a Bestial Varuga, which aren't native to Rimhakka, as the Royal Family's Cradle Cells allow them to kill the creatures easily, to attack the royal carriage and kidnap the Royal Children. Gareki's explanation made sense, 'rescuing' them from such a situation with some other men would have created the opening Palnedo needed for an approval, and with Eleska already there, the wedding could have been arranged quickly. But, Gareki had revealed more of the old man's plans back in the guest room. "If I dared speak a single word to try and defend myself, they'd kill your sister and me, turn you into a Varuga, and sink the Kuroi Hitsuji, killing the survivors on sight."

"That may have been the intent all along," Yogi thought worriedly, "If the girls were dead and he successfully turned me into one of these monstrous mutations, he'd have full control over what I say and do, and then with my marriage to Princess Eleska, once I took the throne, Rimhakka would be completely his without ever having to go to war! Would he really sink to using his own granddaughter for such goals? If so, she's every bit as much a victim in this as everyone else is."

Yogi backed against the wall as this realization settled in, his heart pounding heavy in his chest. The people he cared about were in danger, all sitting aboard a single small ship in enemy waters, and he had no means of protecting them, no way of warning them. All he could do was pray that they were safe.

*~Meanwhile~*

Gareki pounded at the door of the Captain's Cabin of the Kuroi Hitsuji. At Jiki's insistence, the two Royal Bodyguards had thrown him into the room and locked the door. The portals were too small for him to climb through. "Damn it all, let me out of here!" he demanded.

"Not until you calm down, Gareki!" Jiki insisted.

"None of us wanted to leave him behind," Hirato said.

"But he gave his orders and we had to follow them," Tsukitachi added.

"Orders?" Gareki scoffed, kicking at the door. "The two of you are his bodyguards! You couldn't have ignored those orders and forced him to come with us?"

"NO!" they answered simultaneously, yet unenthusiastically. They both wished it were that simple.

"He's the crown prince of Rimhakka," Tsukitachi sighed.

"No one can force him to do anything," Hirato lamented, "Even when it's for his own good."

"Gareki, he entrusted us to protect his sisters," Jiki reasoned, "We had to get Princess Miumarie back to the Kuroi Hitsuji before they realized she was gone too. I know he said to take them back to Rimhakka, but believe me, there isn't the first person aboard this vessel who wishes to simply leave him behind."

"We don't intend to, either," Tsukitachi stated.

"But until you calm down, you're not going to do anyone any good," Hirato finished.

Jiki sighed. "So take a moment, sort things out in your head and calm down," he pleaded, placing his open palms against the door and leaning in toward it. "I'll unlock your door when you're ready."

Gareki's fist slammed against the door once more. He closed his eyes and huffed. He had already tired himself out and was breathing heavy. He leaned against the door and tried to catch his breath, his whole body shivering. They were right, he needed to calm down. He couldn't think like this, and certainly couldn't fight. "When… did I… become someone… who could loose my head so easily?" he thought to himself. His blue eyes slowly slid back open and he swallowed a breath of air. Having moved from being locked in a prison cell to locked in his own room hadn't made his mental state much better. "You're right," he admitted. "Alright… I'll… I'll take a moment." He sat on his bed and leaned back against the wall.

Jiki sighed and turned to move away from the door. "I've never seen him get so upset over anything before," he admitted to the two royal guards. "Not that I can blame him, of course. But, the mere fact that Gareki can become so animate really speaks volumes about Prince Yogi."

"His highness has always been a sweet kid," Tsukitachi said, "Winning over hearts and minds with nothing more than a simple smile. He just never had a lot of confidence in himself."

"Not that he was allowed the luxury of confidence," Hirato said, "The king's council sees him as so valuable that they've kept him sheltered his whole life. The way he's been acting since we've rendezvoused in Karasuna, however, it seems he actually needed this little adventure." Hirato glanced back at the door to the Captain's Quarters. "The fact that he's had such an effect on even a pirate captain doesn't surprise me at all," he chuckled. "Of course, their history with one another may have played a major factor as well."

"I knew they'd become close, I could see it in the way they looked at each other," Tsukitachi stated, "But that kiss back there… I'm lucky I didn't drop Captain Gareki out of shock. It felt like I had violated the sanctity of the Royal Bedchamber or something."

"They were kissing each other a lot before you came to the window," Miumarie said quietly, a slight blush on her face, as she revealed that she had been awake for much longer than Gareki and Yogi had thought.

"How much is a lot?" Tsukitachi asked.

"Six times on the lips, and Captain Gareki kissed Oni-Chan once on the forehead," she answered bluntly.

Hirato put a balled fist to his mouth and stifled a laugh, trying his best to look as though he were coughing. He couldn't help but find the embarrassed blush sweeping across his partner's face absolutely adorable. "Such refreshing honesty from the mouths of babes," Hirato chuckled.

"Honestly!" Tsukumo's voice came from behind them, "I don't mind one way or another what their relationship is, but for them to carry on in such away in front of you?"

"They thought I was asleep," Miumarie defended, turning to face her older sister, "I'm not a baby anymore, kissing doesn't bother me," she pointed, "They both looked so hurt by what Oni-Chan was doing, I let them think they had their privacy for a while so they could talk things out. I only let them know I was awake when I thought I needed to." She spared the details of Gareki's hand slipping somewhere inappropriate, worried that Tsukumo, Tsukitachi, and Hirato would all break the door down, drag Gareki out, and hang him by his toenails.

"Miu…?" Tsukumo blinked and knelt down where she was eye-level with the younger princess. "What do you mean they looked hurt by what Yogi was doing? What did he do?"

Miumarie pouted. "He agreed to marry Princess Eleska in exchange for ownership of Captain Gareki, so he could free him from slavery. The only other way Captain Gareki could have been let go alive would be if Princess Eleska herself didn't want to marry him."

"Yogi, what are you thinking!?" Tsukumo worried. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "What did Princess Eleska say?"

Miumarie shook her head. "She's in love with Captain Gareki's brother Karoku, but agreed to think about it. She doesn't know that Oni-Chan agreed to it to save Captain Gareki, though!"

Tsukitachi and Hirato blinked at the little princess, crossed their arms and looked at each other in a moment of silence, then turned their attention back to Miumarie. "Well, aren't you just a little bottle of exposition tonight?" Tsukitachi mused.

"You didn't fill us in on all the details back at the castle, you know," Hirato said. "Prince Yogi must really hold Captain Gareki close to his heart."

Gareki sat on his bed, his face lightly flushed, having over heard Miumarie's confession to being awake. "Sneaky little brat cock blocked us on purpose," he thought with a smirk. "Yogi, please be alright," he quietly worried, "If they've done anything to hurt you… I couldn't bare it. I would have gladly accepted servitude to stay by your side." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "I've got to think of something, someway to get him out of there…" Gareki's eyes widened. Suddenly, the same realization swept over him that had hit Yogi. There had been no reason for Uro to come back inside the room. "That shadow Varuga had been in the room with us, hadn't she!?" he exclaimed out loud, jumping from the bed and rushing for the door. "Jiki!?" he called, slamming a fist against the door. "Oi, Jiki, can you hear me?"

Jiki whirled around to face the door and blinked. He'd recognized the change in urgency in his captain's voice. "Yes, I hear you," he replied, rushing to the door.

"Open the door, quick!" Gareki ordered.

Jiki wasted no time in following this order. He unlocked and opened the door. "Gareki, what's…?" he started to ask.

"We're sitting ducks out here," Gareki huffed.

"Huh…?" Jiki asked. "But, they saw my mirage and believe we left, they won't know to look for us."

"The woman who took Miumarie back in Karasuna," Gareki said, "She can pass through shadows. Meiga sold us out, probably as a means to get back at Tsubaki for breaking off their relationship. She wouldn't have found us without his help, but Meiga and Uro both found this ship when they took Yogi and me to Palnedo's castle. She'll know what to look for. If she was lurking in the shadows and over heard anything, that would explain why Uro tried to come back into the room before we left. They may already know it was a trick. Cloaked or not, she might be able to enter the ship through the shadows. We need to make port and abandon the Kuroi Hitsuji or they may blow us out of the water, yet."

"And go where?" Shishi asked, he, Ranji, and Sesiri having all been quietly listening to the conversation for sometime now.

"If they're looking for you, they know what all of us look like now," Ranji pointed, "The whole city guard will be on alert."

"Even so," Nai said, jumping down from the mast, his super hearing having allowed him to overhear everything, "I can't hold the cloaking spell indefinitely, I'm lucky I've held it this long for the entire ship."

"Sounds like this is our only safe option, then," Hirato agreed.

"But again, where would we go?" Sesiri asked.

Gareki sighed, already aware of the resistance this suggestion would be met with. Ranji and Shishi were both from Kafka, but had no family left within the country to turn to. Gareki's eyes settled on Jiki. "There is ONE place we can go, where they'd never think to look for us."

"Huh?" the majority of the crew asked.

"Oooh no…" Jiki refused. "No, no, no!" he insisted, "Gareki, I…"

"I know you and your parents have your differences, Jiki. Trust me, I understand your reasons. But what other option do we have? It's known all through Kafka that you've cut your ties with them. The house is large enough to accommodate all of us, too. Those of us who can cloak ourselves can do so, while Nai hides the rest of us and we can all pass through town unnoticed. I won't force this on you, but it's the only option I can see ourselves left with. They're still your parents, after all these years, if they have any desire to patch things up with you, they'll let us stay," Gareki reasoned.

"I think I can hold up the cloaking spell for that long," Nai said with a nod.

Jiki sighed. "Can I have a moment to think it over?"

"I'm not sure if we have that moment to spare," Gareki said, shaking his head. "But I'll give it to you. In the meantime, we need to run aground somewhere away from the harbor so we can disembark unnoticed, I want an answer by then, alright?"

Jiki nodded. "Alright. Thank you, Gareki."

"Nai, keep us hidden as long as you can," Gareki instructed. Nai nodded. "Shishi, Ran, you're both in the crow's nest for now. Jiki's got a lot of emotional baggage to mull over, we'll need an extra pair of eyes. Nai, don't strain yourself too much, but if possible, help them out up there by listening for any approaching ships."

"Aye, Captain!" came the three-way reply, as Ranji, Shishi, and Nai made their way up to the Crow's Nest.

"Hirato, Tsukitachi, I want both of you at the cannons just in case we run into any trouble," Gareki requested.

"I think we can handle that," Hirato nodded.

"You can count on us," Tsukitachi agreed.

Gareki turned to the girls. "Sesiri, I want you to take the princesses and the kitten back to your quarters and stay there until someone comes for you. Yogi put his trust in us to keep the girls safe."

"Are you ordering us to retreat to our rooms, Captain?" Tsukumo asked stiffly.

Gareki looked at the older princess. "Does this girl ever emote?" he thought. "Do you have an objection, your highness?" he asked.

"If possible, I'd like to confer with Mr. Jiki. I promise not to try and sway his decision one way or another, but he may appreciate an open ear while he works things out," she replied.

Gareki smiled. "Very well, it is not my place to stop you," he agreed. "Sesiri, please take Princess Miumarie and Nyanperowna back to the room. Princess Tsukumo will rejoin you when she's ready."

"I'm getting stuck with baby sitting duty? Great," Sesiri grumbled. She looked down at the little princess, who's large violet eyes looked blinkingly back up at her. She smiled and ruffled a gentle hand through the princess's hair. "Come along, little princess, I'm sure we can find something to do to occupy our time." Miumarie gave a quiet nod and picking up Nyanperowna, followed behind Sesiri.

Gareki waited until they were alone and stopped Tsukumo in her tracks. "May I ask you something a bit personal, Princess?" he requested.

"That depends on the question, I suppose," Tsukumo replied.

Gareki signaled for her to follow him to the helm. "Just now, you willingly volunteered to go speak to Jiki on your own. I know he's been showering you with attention since he first laid eyes on you. If I may be so bold as to ask, do you think you may have feelings for him, as though you would consent to letting him court you if he asked it?"

"Perhaps. I mean, we've only just met, I wouldn't want to rush things," the princess answered, a slight blush sweeping across her face, "But, he is kind and polite, and more charming than any prince or nobleman I've ever met. So, I could see it in the future, if he asked it of me."

Gareki smiled at her. "I see."

"Why do you ask?" Tsukumo inquired.

"His remarks are completely honest, my lady. Forgive me for bringing it up, but he's only a year younger than your brother and still chaste by choice. You're the first woman other than his little sister I've ever seen him dote over. Yogi felt rather protective of you at first, but tonight, he stated that if it were up to him, should the both of you consider it, he would give his blessings and help persuade your father," Gareki informed her. Gareki tried not to laugh, but couldn't help smiling as the princess's face lit up a bright shade of red.

"I… I see," she stammered, "Thank you for passing along the message, Captain Gareki."

"Run along now," Gareki replied with a soft smile. Tsukumo nodded and turned to find Jiki's cabin.

Jiki lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, arms folded behind his head, glasses laying next to him on the pillow, golden eyes opened wide. He had so many memories of that house, both good and bad. Could he really bring himself to set foot in it again? "Though, it would be nice, to just once show Princess Tsukumo the gardens," he thought aloud. He started when he heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?"

"Sir Jiki? May I come in?" Tsukumo requested.

Jiki sat up and put his glasses back on. "You may, Princess," he answered, a slight blush sweeping his cheeks. He stood as the door swung open, and bowed to her. "How may I be of service to you, my lady?"

Tsukumo shook her head as she entered. "I'm not here to ask a service from you," she assured him, "But to offer you a shoulder and an ear while you decide what to do."

Jiki offered her a spot on the side of the bed. "Please, have a seat, Princess, I'm only sorry I don't have something better than the bed to offer."

"This will be adequate," Tsukumo assured him with a sweet smile, "Thank you." She sat down and motioned for him to sit next to her. Rather than take the bed side, he knelt on the floor, leaving the entire bed free. Tsukumo blushed a little, but did not argue with him. Instead, she reached down and took both his hands in hers, and sat them upon her knee. She looked down at him with a soft smile, her blue eyes meeting his. "Now then. I'm willing to hear you out," she assured him. "Why are you so estranged from your parents?"

*~Meanwhile~*

"You threw him in the dungeon?" Emperor Palnedo sneered at Uro.

"The young pirate has escaped," Uro replied, "and the little princess is gone as well. All of your bargaining tools are currently lost to us, your majesty. I did not wish to risk the prince escaping as well."

Palnedo raised an annoyed eyebrow. "Be that as it may," he grumbled, "if his father learns that the lad is being held in the dungeon, there will be all sorts of political scrutiny. I was attempting a silent coupe, Uro, not an all out war. I do not wish to strain our country's resources for such things."

Uro nodded in agreement. "I understand completely, my liege. Shall I turn the prince loose, then? He may flee if I do, but if that is your order…"

"No, leave him there, just keep it silent that he's there. Tomorrow, I'll announce that the wedding is to take place in two days. Eleska will marry him whether she likes it or not," Palnedo replied.

"News of this will certainly draw the little runaway out of hiding. Nima informed me that he and the prince were behaving rather intimately until the little princess interrupted them," Uro stated.

"We can use the brat as leverage, if he does show himself, and ensure Prince Yogi follows through. However, my agreement with him is null and void in light of the situation. Gareki has been a thorn in my side for far too long," Palnedo said, leaning back in his throne, hands gripping the armrests.

"Yes, your highness," Uro replied, bowing low.

"What of the idiot who let him escape?" Palnedo asked.

"Kiharu has gone missing now as well. But, I doubt he has gone far. Most likely, he's hiding somewhere in the castle, cowering in a corner afraid of what sort of punishment he'll receive for this blunder. He won't leave the grounds, however, as his partner is still incapacitated from their previous punishment and under Dr. Azana's care. Kiharu may be younger than Kagiri, but he's stronger and thus quite protective. He may fear that if he flees and cannot be found that we will inflict further punishment to Kagiri in his stead," Uro answered.

"Find him. If you can't, then make that fear a reality," Palnedo ordered, "They're both Varuga, they can survive and recover any punishment short of death that we deal them by the end of the week."

Uro bowed again, "As you wish, Sire."

"You've really gone and done it this time, Uro," Ryuu jeered as the lanky redhead stepped out of the throne room.

"STUFF IT!" Uro replied, "I really don't have the time nor the patience for your antics right now, Ryuu." He approached a table and reached out to grab a glass and a bottle of wine. "I have a runaway slave who thinks himself a pirate captain and an AWOL Varuga to locate." He began to pour the wine. "The later of the two I have to find by dawn." He drank down the entire glass in one shot and slammed it down on the table. "I don't relish the idea of forcing Kagiri to endure any further torture at the risk of loosing one of my smarter Varuga just because his partner's such an idiot, but if it comes to it, then I will." He sighed, "I don't care to see the look on Princess Eleska's face when I have to inform her that she's to be wed in two days regardless of her wishes, either."

Ryuu smiled. "I'll tell her then. The spoiled rotten brat never cared for me anyway."

"No," Uro tisked, leaning against a wall with his arms crossed, glancing toward the staircase that lead to Eleska's bedchamber, his ponytail flipping around and almost slapping Ryuu in the face when the older man came too close, "As much as it would please me to watch the princess take her wrath out upon you, it will be easier on her if she hears it from me instead."

*~Hours Later~*

A middle-aged couple grumbled as they were awakened from their sleep from a loud knocking at their door. "It's nearly three in the morning," the wife complained, "Who could be knocking at this hour?"

"I don't know," the husband grumbled, "But at this rate, they'll wake the whole house." The pair climbed out of bed, each throwing on a house robe and heading downstairs.

They were met outside by a couple of children, both seven years in age. "Daddy?" the little girl asked.

"Not now, Kana," the mother shushed her.

"Who is it?" the little boy chirped.

"Tamon, you and your sister stay here," the mother sighed.

"Jingu! Whoever it is, remind them it's rude to come knocking at someone's door at such an ungodly hour, and unless it's an emergency, send them away!" the father growled as a servant opened the door.

"Yes, Sir Murano," the servant answered. "Lady Isosa, I'm sorry I couldn't reach the door before you and the children were awakened, please head back to bed."

The two forty-something-year-olds gasped when they saw who was standing at the door. "JIKI!?" they exclaimed.

Jiki stood, eyes closed, a hand rubbing the back of his head. "Mother, Father… Sorry for dropping in so late," he said with a nervous chuckle.