Guess whose back. I am back. Know who's back. Yes I'm back. I'm not Shady, but I am back!
Anyway, music butchering aside, welcome back lovely folks. I'm sure you are here to read a quality chapter and I am here to deliver. Before we start I have to respond!
Keysjake36 (Guest): Thank you! I am glad since I meant for that chapter to be the tension killer chapter. Meant to be light hearted and funny.
JOOP-ROLL: Sorry if it seems like he was, but I didn't mean for it to sound like that. I was going for a happy atmosphere, but I guess I screwed up a bit. Again, sorry if it seems like that.
Chapter 8: Princess Henrietta's Request
"Do you plan on going back into the room soon?" The voice of Derflinger asks unhappy with the current arrangement.
Yuudai looks at the sword as if the sword is crazy. "No way! Not until she is asleep!" He exclaims.
Yuudai is standing on the flat of Derflinger that is stabbed into the wall above Louise's window. He has been there since Louise resumed chasing him earlier. Ever since he has been standing there. It is dark out, but they know Louise is still awake.
"I know you are in here somewhere you filthy mut! Get over here so I can punish you!" She yells from her room.
"What if she finds you?" Yuudai looks down to see how high up he is. He pales a bit. "That'll be a long fall."
"Please don't let her find me. Please don't let her find me. Please don't let her find me." He chants closing his eyes. He opens his eyes catching sight of someone wearing a cloak running into the building. He sets his fear aside for now. "Who is that?"
"I don't know, but she has the same physique as Louise." Derflinger replies.
"I noticed that too. We need to figure out who she is. We will have to get past Louise though." He drops from his perch grabbing Derflinger and jumping through the window into her room.
Yuudai immediately sees Louise attacking him with a whip. He grabs the whip coming at him with his bare hand. He notices Louise is about to start another rant, but he pulls the whip towards him with Louise holding onto it. He then pulls her behind him while pointing his sword towards the door.
"What are you doing mut?!" She questions getting flustered.
"There is someone in the building with a cloak inside this place. Unless you want to take the possibility of dying you need to be quiet." He answers never taking his eyes off the door.
Louise sighs. "Fine, but you better not die either."
"Don't plan on dying anytime soon." He replies. A minute later there is a knock on the door. Louise tenses up afraid for some reason. "Who is it?"
"A friend." The person answers.
Yuudai slowly walks to the door. "I am going to open the door and if you make any sudden moves I will not hesitate to ram my sword through your heart. Are we clear?" He says.
"Y-yes." The person stutters.
He opens the door to find the person with the cloak on the other side of the door. "Take off that hood. No secrecy here." He orders in a serious tone.
The person takes off the hood to see she is the princess! Not that he knows this. He never got a clean look at her, so he still holds up his sword. Henrietta stares wide eyed at the boy from earlier guarding Louise's room. Why?
"Put down your sword you idiot!" Louise shouts.
"Not until I know this lady isn't here to do anything funny like Fouquet." He replies staring at Henrietta.
"That's the princess!" Louise screams.
Yuudai smiles while putting his sword against the wall. "Why didn't you say so? I have been meaning to ask her something anyway."
Henrietta tilts her head. "What is it?"
"How did you like your welcoming present?" He asks smiling still.
"You knew and didn't tell me?!" Louise cries out.
"It was more than I expected for sure." She admits.
"Now I am sure you didn't come here to have your life threatened, so what are you here for?" Yuudai questions getting serious.
"I came here to see my friend Louise!" She exclaims racing to Louise hugging her.
Yuudai smiles a bit. "So she does have a real friend." Yuudai then frowns as the man on the gryphon pops into his mind. "Why do I feel like he is trouble?" He thinks for a minute. "Maybe he's just one of those people I don't like for no reason." He turns his attention back to the two.
"What's wrong princess?" Louise asks.
"I must've missed the beginning of the conversation." He mutters.
"I…it's nothing." She says thinking of what to say.
"Please tell me princess! We have been friends from such a young age! You can tell me anything." Louise looks into Henrietta's eyes with compassion.
"Maybe if she we this eager to learn magic maybe she would be a good mage." Tatsumi mutters earning a snicker from Derflinger.
"Well…I guess we have Louise Francoise. Promise this never leaves this room though." The princess says.
"I promise it will never leave this room." Louise promises holding a hand over her heart.
"I guess I will leave the room for you two." Yuudai says turning.
"Actually I was wondering what your relationship with my friend Vallière?" The princess says questioningly.
Yuudai turns back to the two. "I am the unfortunate soul taken from familiar grounds to a land unknown to myself." He brings a hand up to his forehead in a lazy solute while giving her a warm smile. "My name is Yuudai the familiar of Blanc." He introduces.
The princess's face takes a confused complexion. "I never seen a human familiar before."
"And I never met a princess before, so we are even." Yuudai retorts.
"Don't you dare back talk the Princess of Tristain!" Louise growls at him. She doesn't want to yell in front of Henrietta which is the only reason she didn't yell.
He puts his hands in his jacket's pockets. Henrietta notices his attire for the first time thinking it is weird. "Sorry, but I don't think your opinion matters. Just like opinions on the internet." He says.
"What is internet?" Henrietta asks politely.
"Oh yeah, I forgot that wasn't a thing here." He mutters. "Well I guess I will just wait outside the door for your secret to finish."
"No, a familiar of my friend has the right to be here too." Henrietta tells Yuudai.
Yuudai shrugs deciding to lean on the wall. "Alright, I have no problem listening to your troubles I guess. Better than hearing Blanc complaining. So what has you worried?" Yuudai questions.
Henrietta takes a deep breath and exhales. "I am going to be married to the Emperor of Germania."
"Germania!?" Louise exclaims in surprise. Yuudai just stares blankly at the princess. "The country of barbaric upstarts!?"
"Yes. It can't be helped. We need to solidify our alliance." Henrietta admits sadly. Yuudai looks at her knowingly. "What?" She asks confused while still being sad.
"That isn't the only reason, is it?" Yuudai questions.
"You're right, but it is the main reason as of the moment." She says. "I must say that you are more intelligent than you let on."
He shrugs. "I don't really hide it, but I don't always show off my knowledge."
"Why not?" She asks.
Yuudai sighs. "I could explain it, but you still need to finish your story."
Her cheeks turn a very light shade of pink. "Yes, of course. Remember how I told you about the alliance we would have once I am married?" The two nod. "We need the alliance in order to increase our chances in defending against Albion." A small gasp comes from Louise and from behind the door. Yuudai looks at the two girls noticing they didn't hear it. "The only way to defend against Albion is this alliance, but there is something that can screw up the marriage and leave Tristain helpless against Albion."
Yuudai hums to himself quietly. "The only logical things that could do that is either a hostage or a letter with something written on it that isn't meant to be seen." He mutters.
Henrietta hear what he muttered with an impressed look. "You are right. It is a letter that must not be seen by Germania." Yuudai hums a bit. "This letter is currently in Albion right now."
"Your screwed then." Yuudai states bluntly.
Louise throws her boot at Yuudai nailing him in his chest harder than he anticipated. He is knocked on to the floor from the force. "Don't ever say that so casually to the princess! Now woof if you understand!" Louise yells surprising Henrietta.
Yuudai sits up looking unimpressed. "I thought we had an understanding of that animal crap." He stands up while Louise storms over to him.
"Get down on your knees and woof. Now." She orders.
"How about you get on your knees and..." Yuudai forces himself to pause. "Bottom line is I am not an animal and you should know this." He says.
Yuudai and Louise glare at each other with imaginary lightning sparking between them. "Umm, could you two please calm down?" Henrietta asks nervously.
Louise immediately bows. "I'm so sorry Princess!"
Yuudai sighs again looking to the princess. "Sorry about that." He puts an adoptive look on his face. "I don't think I heard your name. May I ask what it is?"
"You don't just ask the Princess her name!" Louise tells him upset.
Henrietta's cheeks turn a light pink. "My name is Henrietta."
He gives her a small smile. "Well Miss Henrietta, my name is Yuudai." He tells her. "I know we should've got this out of the way earlier, but it was a bit hectic. Anyway, please finish your story."
"Well…it is with Prince Wales. So it is currently safe." She says earning a sigh of relief from Louise. Yuudai's eyes widen a small fraction while Louise suddenly becomes serene a second later. "You two already know, don't you?"
"Yeah." Yuudai confirms.
"I do too Princess." She too confirms. "You want the two of us to go and retrieve the letter from Prince Wales."
"I'm sorry to ask you two of this, but I don't have anyone else to turn to." She admits. "Besides, having the the two who defeated Fouquet The Crumbling Dirt retrieve the letter would be an honor."
Louise gets ready to brag that his achievement was hers, but he starts talking. "I understand now." He says. Henrietta and Louise stay silent curious to his statement. "This is the reason for the sudden visit here. Am I right?"
Henrietta looks downcast a little bit. "I'm afraid that is my main reason. Sorry if you feel used."
Yuudai smirks causing her to look at him. "Are you kidding? Your country is in danger of being invaded then come to me and Blanc to save this alliance of yours?" He chuckles a bit. "I think it is awesome!" He holds up a fist to his heart. "Don't even worry because we will accept this taste and complete it with flying colors!"
The princess looks shocked and surprised trying to understand the black haired teenage boy. Louise nods in agreement with him. "He is right. We will finish this task you gave us." Louise says.
"Thank you. Both of you." She thanks happy.
"How urgent is it?" Louise questions.
"I heard they managed to get the nobles cornered, so it is only a matter of time." She answers.
"Crap. That doesn't give us much time to prepare. We would have a better chance at succeeding if we leave at the break of dawn tomorrow." Yuudai mutters. The two others hear him though.
'He is acting so much smarter than normal. What the hell is he trying to prove?' Louise says in her mind. "He's right, we will leave tomorrow at the break of dawn."
The princess nods turning her attention to Yuudai. He doesn't notice since was looking at the door for a second. He finally notices and looks right back at her.
"Mr. Dependable Yuudai, I have a request." Henrietta says.
Yuudai feels elated for a moment and swears he could hear someone crying outside the door. "Please just call me Yuudai, Henrietta." He tells her flashing another smile.
"Smile at her one more time and I'll blow you into the afterlife." Louise mutters too quietly to hear.
"Please take care of my dear friend here through your journey." She requests.
"I already do, but if you ask then will protect her even more to the best of my abilities." Yuudai states.
"Thanks you, Yuudai." She holds out her hand that has a ring on one of her fingers. Yuudai knows for a fact that someone is outside the door since there is a fairly noticeable cry of shock from the hall.
"You are offering your hand to such a mut?" Louise asks earning a glare from Yuudai.
"Why not? I don't see no other way to reward him." Henrietta says.
"I think I saw something like this in a show or was it an anime? Maybe it was just a story I read some time back?" He mutters. "It had something to do with kissing. Does she really want me to kiss her at a time like this?" He continues trying to understand the situation. "I think it was grab her hand and kiss her cheek? Lips? Yeah, it was definitely the lips."
He grabs her hand gently quickly kissing her lips for a brief second. He pulls away watching the dazed look on the princess. Two roars of rage scream from behind him although one seems to be outside the door still.
"Y-you mangy horn dog!" Louise yells running at him with the whip.
Yuudai dodges to the left avoiding the whip. "She told me to kiss her and from what I heard I have to…" The scene from a book he read resurfaces to his knowledgeable mind. "Oh crap." He says out loud.
"It's ok." Henrietta tells Louise and Yuudai still dazed.
"But-"
"No, it is really ok. Besides, he deserves some type of reward." She says. Another cry sounds from behind the door making Yuudai get irritated.
He walks to his sword and grabs it marching towards the door. He opens the door quickly grabbing a blond boy's shirt collar then hoists him in the air keeping his sword by his side. He looks at the intruder knowing it is Guiche.
"And what would a playboy like you be doing here?" Yuudai demands.
Guiche is shaking in fear, but he steels himself up. "I came here because I heard the Princess and wish to help her." He explains.
Yuudai looks Guiche over. "Perhaps he can be our scout for places that give us a bad feeling." He says out loud.
"Who is he?" Henrietta asks.
Yuudai throws him to the ground in the middle of the floor of Louise's room while closing the door. Guiche quickly rushes to stand up. He proceeds to bow.
"My name is Guiche Chevalier De Gramont, your Majesty." Guiche says not daring to look up.
"Are you the son of General Gramont?" She asks curious.
"Yes, I am his son." He says although a bit more dejectedly.
"Daddy issues?" Yuudai wonders to himself quietly.
"Probably." Derflinger says hearing what his wielder had said.
Guiche then whirls around holding his rose looking wand. "You had dared to kiss the lips of the Princess of Tristain! I challenge you to a duel!"
"Sure, just meet me before me and Louise head out then I will be glad the beat the crap out of you." Yuudai says happily. Guiche just shivers in fear. "Oh yeah, I forgot to ask about the nurse visit. How was it?"
The sound and pain of his bones being forced back into place rings throughout his head. "N-no m-matter! I won't lose to you again! I simply underestimated you." Guiche stutters ignoring his fear.
"Says every sore loser ever." Yuudai comments.
"What's that suppose to mean?!" Guiche exclaims with tick mark on his head.
"Anyway, is there anything else we need to know?" Yuudai questions looking over to the princess.
Henrietta had just gave Louise a ring for luck and money if they run out. She turns to Yuudai. "I only have this letter to for you three to give." She says pulling out a letter. "I want you to hold onto this letter Yuudai. I know you won't ever let it go without a fight."
"I promise that not another soul shall touch it until I give it to Prince Wales himself." Yuudai tells her sincerely.
Henrietta smiles brightly at him. "Thank you, this means a lot."
"It is no problem Henrietta." He replies.
She hands him the letter. Yuudai then puts it in an inside pocket of his black jacket. He zips up the cot half way to make sure it doesn't somehow fall out.
"Thank you. All three of you. I know this is selfish of me, but I hope you can excuse and Brimier can forgive me." She says. The three watch her walk to the door while pulling her hood up. "Goodbye for now Guiche Gramont, Louise Françoise and Yuudai. I wish you luck." She then disappears out the door.
Yuudai looks over to Guiche sending a chill down the blond's spine. "Why are you still here? You need your energy to be a proper scout for us."
Guiche nods then quickly runs out the door. "I think I will let you off the hook for tonight. I need the energy for tomorrow."
"Thanks Blanc. Goodnight." He says laying Derflinger on the hay. He walks to his window looking into the night sky closing his eyes. "A new adventure huh? Should be fun."
End
And I have finished! I have given you the goods! Hahahaha!
This is a longer chapter than normal because I couldn't find a good place to end it. But I think I did fairly well with it. Let me know if you agree.
Thank you too my newest followers and favoriters! And to the comments! They are very appreciated no matter what they are!
Now I can't promise an exact date on the next chapter since I gotta read more to actually create the chapter, but fret not! Well I don't think I have anything else to say. So thanks for reading and have a great day/night/morning!