Runaway Royalty

Disclaimer: I do not own SkipBeat or any of its characters.

The history of the Ryukyu Kingdom is true, but the plot of the movie is entirely fictional.

Chapter 28 – A Question of Destiny

Kanae was grinning fiercely as she parried Hiou's blow and spun low to slash up at him. He quickly met and guided the blow off-course, but he wasn't able to knock her off center. Even as he reversed and struck downward she twisted her wrists, pointing her blade towards the ground to deflect him. On and on they went, neither giving way nor gaining ground. Kanae understood now the exhilaration that Kyoko had talked about in her own training when things suddenly clicked and her body began to react by instinct.

The set-up crew had arrived early to begin preparation for the day's filming, but now they just stood and watched. Both actors were dressed in plain, worn gis*, but somehow their movements and energy made them seem almost supernatural to the gathering spectators. The "Stewart Farm" where they would film today was actually a working farm. The husband and wife had readily accepted the offer of hard cash for the use of their place for two weeks. They, their farmhands, and other locals drifted in and out to watch the filming. Unlike the cast members, the farmers were used to rising early; so they were already drifting in to see what was happening.

Kanae and Hiou saw none of this. They slashed and parried and thrust and blocked; they spun and jumped and crouched; all to seek advantage, to find an unsuspecting weakness. Kanae had graduated from using wooden swords now, and the glossy metal of the blades was catching the orange morning light, making their swords look almost like light-sabers.

Hiou seemed handsome and manly to the onlookers. Kanae was an otherworldly beauty as her long raven-hair flowed with her movements as if it had a life of its own. The pair continued, with sweat running of their foreheads and into their eyes and mouths. They didn't notice any of this. Their entire concentration was on their opposite. Even as they struck at each other they shared companionable grins. Both felt the power of the confrontation, the joy of the match.

Finally, by no clear signal, their match drew to an end. As they saluted each other and bowed, they were startled by the sudden applause around them. For the first time they became aware of the gathered crowd. Hiou, grinning, made a dashing bow in the western fashion. Then, ever the showman, he gestured towards Kanae. Even as the crowd applauded again, Kanae extended a hand and the two bowed together, like stage actors.

The sound of thundering hooves drew everyone's attention as Erika, blonde hair flying behind her, crested the hill and pounded on towards the farmstead. The people were beginning to move back to get out of her way when she suddenly pulled back strongly on the reins. Her beautiful brown reared high on his powerful hind legs. Then, still on his hind legs, he pranced around in a circle, finally settling as Erika gracefully dismounted. Once again the crowd applauded. Kanae and Hiou shook their heads in tolerance as Erika also bowed. Even if their evening together with Erika had been unnaturally pleasant, Erika was still Erika. She craved the spotlight and wasn't the slightest bit shy about it.

"Good morning, Erika-san." Neither Kanae nor Erika knew exactly how to deal with each other now. How do you go from being arch-enemies to friends in a single day? Now that they were safe again, they both moved around each other in the tentative way of two cats meeting for the first time. Still, it was progress.

"Good morning, Kanae-san. Are you ready for today? Shinai-san wants to film as much as possible in this single day, so that the light is consistent." She spoke as one professional talking to another.

"I know that you have to shoot pretty soon, but after that do you think we could go over our dialogue?"

It had been the same request that Kanae had made on the bus ride from the spa. Kanae smiled, "I'd like that."

Author's note: The following scenes are only described, not presented in detail, until everyone has been returned to the farm.

The beaten and bruised companions make their way down the mountain paths until all are safely together. There they settled for the night as the heavy rain returned.

Angela, still whole and unhurt, makes her way to the horses and rides in the early dawn towards home.

Two men from adjoining farms arrive at the foot of the mountains with a wagon.

Simon attended by Hiroji, and Gus, attended by Euiko, ride in the back of the wagon. The others ride alongside.

[John Stewart wakes to find Angela wiping his forehead.

"Where's Simon?" He started to rise up. Angela stopped him with a hand on his chest.

"He's safe, Dad. Don't try to get up. His leg is broken from a fall, but it will mend. You would have been proud of him, though. Those bush rangers didn't stand a chance."

"Hiroji?"

Angela frowned slightly, "The prince is safe. They came here to kill him, Dad."

"From Japan?"

"Yeah. But Hiroji and the princess beat them."

"Princess?"

Angela's hand clenched the bedsheets, "Yeah, but not his sister. She's here to drag Hiroji home."

John smoothed his daughter's blonde hair, "Angela, you had to know he wouldn't stay forever. If he's a prince, then he has responsibilities."

"But Dad, next to you he's the only real man around here. I know that he's just a boy, but he's got more dignity and class in his fingertips than most of the men around here have in their whole bodies. You should have seen him fight that man, Dad. It's like he's… he's… I don't know!"

John smiled at his daughter, "I always wondered when some man would finally touch your heart. Well, we'll have to see what Hiroji decides. Now, won't you please get me some water? After that why don't you tackle your chores? It'll help clear your mind."

Angela rolled her eyes, "I can see that a little gunshot wound hasn't changed much around here."]

[Angela walked into the barn to find Euiko currying her horse. Their faces were expressionless as they nodded to each other. "Princess."

"Hello. How should I call you?"

"Angela is fine." She picked up a pitchfork and started moving hay. She called over her shoulder, "So are you really a princess?"

"My family is of the nobility, but I am not of the King's family. The prince is the king's own nephew."

"But why did they send a girl instead of a man?"

Euiko stopped combing her horse and turned her regard on the blonde girl, "I have seen you ride and fight. You are as capable as any man. Why does it surprise you that I am the same?"

Angela turned and set the pitchfork tongs on the earth. She leaned her chin onto the hand covering the pitchfork and met the raven-haired girl's eyes. "Sure, I'm frontier woman. But you don't act like any princess I've ever read about. You fought a man more than twice your weight and size and won. If Gus is telling the truth, you fought another man even bigger. That don't sound like something princesses do."

"Many people feel that noble women should just sit around and look ornamental. Thankfully my father did not agree. My father is a very skilled fighter. When he didn't have any sons, he passed his learning on to me. I have trained in the arts of hand and weapon combat from the time that I was very little." Her face was sad as she looked at her hands, "Though I never really thought that I would have to kill men."

Angela looked at the other young lady and then started using the pitchfork on the floor again. As she worked, she talked, "My ma was a good woman. One day she went into town to buy cloth to make a dress for me. There was this man, a kid really; he decided to rob the store for booze money. That's it… just because he was too lazy to work for himself. Well, the clerk, he tries to pull out a gun. The kid panics and shoots… only he misses and kills my ma." They both worked silently for a few moments, "The clerk shot him dead, but it didn't give ma her life back.

"I taught myself to shoot after that. I figured if the world was full of bad people with guns, then I had better be ready to shoot a few if it became necessary. You may live in an ivory tower, Princess, but where I live there are plenty of snakes; and they don't all crawl on the ground."

"You saw the Japanese man who led those bandits? He is a part of the government of Japan. That country is slowly and insidiously taking over our county. The snakes are everywhere, Angela-san, sometimes they even wear official robes."

"Then why are you here trying to drag Hiroji back to that? He said that his uncle didn't even want him there. If that's true, then what good will it do anyway?"

Euiko started to answer, stopped. They met each other's eyes as the light played across the floating barn dust, "I can only answer that his people have need of him. If your farm was taken over by many strong men, would you leave your family at the mercy of these men?"

There was no answer.]

[Euiko and Hiroji walk along the ridge skirting one side of the Stewart farm. Neither speak. Euiko is in front, facing away. Her hair is unbound and the long, raven tresses dance in the wind. Hiroji's eyes watch for a moment with unbridled longing. He looks down quickly as she turns back towards him.

"So, the only reason that you came looking for me was because of your father?"

"He is an old man who has devoted his life to serving the Royal Family. I could not allow him to be blamed for something he had no part in."

"I never meant to harm your noble father. He has always been kind to me."

"That, perhaps, is the problem. You have never 'meant' to do anything, except perhaps your Mobutu Udon Ti training," Eukio looked at him sternly even as she had to push a strand of hair from her face, "I know that you are young, Prince Mobutu, but you are a prince. As such your actions affect your family. Your behavior affects your people. All that you are, and all that you do, affects the Kingdom of Ryukyu."

"But what if I don't want to be a prince? What good has it ever done for me? I will never be king. That honor belongs to Sho Boku's son by that woman! What benef…"

SLAP! Hiroji was rocked back on his heals as Euiko's hand impacted his left cheek. He stood there, hand on his face, staring at the girl in shock.

When she spoke, it was with a calm but icy-cold voice, "Benefit? Every morning you awoke in the Royal Palace. You were bathed in the finest oils. You ate a breakfast large enough to feed a village family. You wore silken robes that would have paid the taxes of an entire village for a year! Your horse, your sword, your gold all came from the sweat and toil of the people.

"Because of your uncle, nobody has to starve in Ryukyu. Because of his efforts, and the efforts of his father, and his father's father, the Kingdom has known relative peace. He has worked tirelessly for his people. He has tried to ensure that his ministers and his tax collectors are fair and just. He has treated you like a son! And what have you done? You mock him because he cannot stop the Japanese soldiers from coming in. You ridicule him because he does not drive them all into the sea! You despise him and call him weak!

"But what are you? You have been offered the best education, yet you do not study. Unlike me, a mere woman, you could easily become a minister to the king. Yet you do not show even the slightest interest in the government of Ryukyu or the needs of her people. You demand and whine and grasp, but I ask you, Prince: what benefit has Ryukyu ever gotten from you?"

Stunningly beautiful in her rage, Euiko stalked off down the hill, leaving a very shocked Hiroji standing alone.]

[Gus, sitting on a wooden chair on the porch with his arm heavily bandaged, watches Euiko stalking up to the farm house. Her hair blows behind her and, fluffing in the wind, it acts as a shroud around her beautiful, angry face.

"He's still very young, Princess. Give him some time."

"You do not comprehend, Gus-san. For our nobility there is no time to be young. We begin training to assume our roles from the moment we can speak. It is his destiny to serve his people. It is his responsibility to seek that which makes their lives better."

"The world is changing, Princess. In many places there is no 'nobility.' Men and women are free to pursue their own dreams and to see how far those dreams can take them."

Euiko looked at the big, handsome man earnestly, "I have heard of this, and I believe that it is good to have freedom to reach your highest potential. But tell me, Gus-san, if each man pursues his own dream, and nobody accepts responsibility for others, then what will become of our world?

"Is that not what is happening throughout the world now? Men and nations are grabbing everything that they can, regardless of how it affects others. What will happen when all of the weak are gobbled up and the strong turn on each other?"

"I see your point, Princess. And I'm afraid that I don't have an answer."

Gus shifted in his chair and leaned forward, "Princess, I do have a question. That man who led the bush rangers; do you think that he was working alone? Could there be more attacks?"

"I do not know. He was connected to the Japanese ambassador in some capacity. He was often at the castle."

Gus rubbed the stubble on his chin thoughtfully, "Then we should assume that we're not out of the woods yet. I need to send a telegram to Rutherford."]

[The Japanese Trade Delegation sits with their Australian counterparts. They are all drinking, laughing, and carousing. There are ladies moving freely among the men, flirting and sitting on laps.

The leader of the Japanese delegation is being fed grapes by a pretty blonde. A small oriental man, the same one who met Hiroji on the dock, comes into the room. The leader waves off the blond, but not before taking the bunch of grapes. The rat-faced little man moves over to him and whispers in his ear. The Japanese man's face becomes abruptly sober, then angry, and finally purposeful.

The camera focuses on his jeweled hand, which is crushing the grapes. The juice drips from in between his fingers.]


Notes: Lots of talk in this chapter, but necessary to the story. I am attempting, albeit with questionable success, to portray the difference in mindsets between the ancient kingdom and the fledging frontier. As is often the case, there is neither right nor wrong, there is only conflicting world views.

* The typical martial arts uniform that is most common today is called a gi.