The...Princess Bride
Part IV-The Sad Part
OR
Yamato Returns!
OR
You Don't Call a Place the Pit of Despair If You Plan to Just Keep Prisoners
* * *
Hello, I'm here with Part IV. As indicated, this is the sad part of the story. More sensitive readers, this part will not be pleasant. Anyway, please remember my guidelines: any feedback is appreciated, and I'll even take flames if they're coherent and cognizant. Thank you, and onward!
* * *
Ken woke up, sitting straight up in bed, sweat pouring down his face. The king was still alive, and the wedding wasn't for another week. He pulled on a bathrobe and hurried down the hall to Miyako's office.
"It comes to this," he began. "I know that I love Daisuke more than anything, and that if you tell me I must marry you in a week, I will be dead by morning." Miyako glanced up at him, and smiled.
"I didn't know you felt this way. But Ken, are you sure Daisuke still wants you? You, after all, did do the leaving." Ken paused.
"No, he must. He loves me, and nothing will change that." Miyako grinned at him.
"Then, here's an idea. You write a letter to him, and my four fastest ships will set out to find him; the Dread Pirate Gennai is always about Florin this time of year. If he wants you back, then bless the both of you. But if not, please consider me as an alternative to suicide." Ken nodded, and took his leave. And then Miyako caught sight of her head of Florinese security, Jun.
"Milady." Miyako nodded at the woman.
"Jun, I have heard that Guilderian soldiers plan t infiltrate the wedding and kill my husband. I want the greatest security for the wedding. Place as many men at the gate as possible, and lock every other entrance. Understand?" Jun bowed.
"Yes, milady." Miyako sat back, smiling.
* * *
"Milady, are coming down to the Pit today?" Sora was looking about a large tree in the edge of the Thieve's Forest. Miyako shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Sora."
"I'm starting him on the Machine," Sora said pleadingly. Miyako shook her head again.
"You know I love to see you work, Sora, but I'm swamped. I've got my country's 500th anniversary to plan, my wedding to prepare, my husband to murder, and Guilder to blame for it. You know, I thought it would be dramatic when he was found murdered on the Guilderian frontier, but it's going to be so much better when I strangle him on our wedding night. The people really love him, and will demand retribution for his murder. So, I wish you the best of luck." Sora nodded, and pressed the secret knot that opened the door to the Pit of Despair.
"Well, I'll tell you how it goes." Sora then turned to enter the prison.
* * *
"Hello, Daisuke. I hope you've been enjoying your stay. However, your torture will begin today. You see, I'm quite interested in the nature of pain. In fact, I'm writing a definative work on the subject. So, in a few moments, we're going to hook you up to the machine. Wallace, hook him up." After a few minutes of silence, the albino had attached several suction cups to Daisuke's head, chest, and body. "You see, this is the perfect torture device, and quite painful. I'll start on the lowest level, which is 1." She reached over, and raised a lever up a notch. Water began running, turning a wheel, and Daisuke screamed with the agony of having his heart ripped from his chest. After a few moments, Sora dropped the lever. "I took this design from a French water pump, except instead of sucking water, I'm sucking life. I just took one year of your life away. How does it feel? And please remember, this is for posterity." Daisuke only had the energy to whimper.
* * *
Miyako watched Jun enter her study.
"Come here. The Guilderian soldiers have infiltrated the Thieve's Forest. I want it emptied!" Jun blanched.
"But the thieves will resist." Miyako scoffed.
"Then form a brute squad!"
"Milady, I also have done as you asked. Only one gate is opened, and it is locked, the only key laying with me. Fifty men guard it."
"I want it doubled! My husband must be safe!" Suddenly, they turned to see Ken standing there.
"Has Daisuke returned?" Miyako smiled warmly at him.
"Give it time, Ken." Ken nodded. As he left, Miyako turned to Jun. "I want the Thieve's Forest emptied tonight!"
* * *
"My love, how are you today?" Miyako asked of Ken later. He made an effort to smile at her. "You know, we marry tomorrow. Shouldn't you be excited? *I* am, and the groom usually is also." Ken shrugged.
"I guess."
"Tommorow, at five o'clock, we marry, and then we will be escorted to our honeymoon by every ship in my fleet! Can you imagine that? A romantic honeymoon in Puerto Rico! Protected by every ship I own!"
"Every ship but your four fastest, you mean."
"Huh?" Miyako was wrapped up in her dream.
"Every ship but your four fastest, the ones you sent after Daisuke." Miyako paled, but then nodded.
"Of course, naturally not THOSE four."
"You lie. But it doesn't matter; he will come." Miyako sneered.
"You are a silly child, who believes in true love and romance." Ken glared at her.
"Yes, I am a silly person, but I believe that Daisuke will know and come for me, because we are joined by love, a love you can't break, which your cowardly heart can't track or understand! And when I saw you are a coward, it is because you are the lowest, most evil and despicable creature ever to walk the face of the earth!" Miyako's eyes flared, and she grabbed the man by the arm.
"I would not say such things if I were you!" She dragged him down the hall to his room, and locked him in. Then, she ran out of the castle to the Pit of Despair. She placed her hands to the side of Daisuke's head, and shot daggers through her eyes.
"You truly love him, and he loves you as well, Daisuke, and you might have been truly happy together. Not one couple in a *century* has that chance, no matter what the stories say. Which is why no man will ever suffer as much as you." Having made her speech, Miyako stormed over to the Machine, and pulled the lever.
"No! NOT TO 50!!" Miyako stared in grim satisfaction as Daisuke convulsed in the greatest pain imaginable. She left the machine on, listening to the screams of the dying man with sadistic pleasure. After the noise died away, she left the Machine on for another minute, and then turned it off.
"Wallace, dispose of the body. Sora, come along, we have a wedding to prepare."
* * *
The Brute Squad cleared out the Thieve's Forest that day, and soon it was empty, except...
"Jun, there's a blond Spaniard giving us trouble!" Jun looked at the lackey, and smiled.
"Come, Taichi, you and I will handle this. Everyone else, get the other thieves into the jail." She stormed over to an old inn where Yamato was standing, waving his sword at anyone that spoke to him.
"Koushiro, when things went wrong, you said to go back to the beginning, so I'm here now, back at the beginning. I'm waiting for you, Koushiro!" Jun smiled predatorily at him.
"All right, I'll take this one in for 'questioning.' Taichi, subdue him." The strong man glared at Jun, and threw her aside. He ran to Yamato's side.
"Yamato, are you all right?" He had been completely alone since Koushiro's death, having both seen the man's corpse, and seen that the man in black had killed Yamato. His depair had threatened to consume him, but now-! "Come on, we need to get you some food and rest." Taichi helped Yamato get back on his feet, got him sober, and then told him about Koushiro's death, and of the existence of the six-fingered countess. Finally:
"All right, all right, so how do I get to Sora?" Taichi shook his head.
"It's no good, Yamato. She's in the castle, and they're guarding it for the wedding. There's fifty men guarding the only working entrance." Yamato shook his head.
"I can't plan this; Koushiro always did the planning."
"What about the man in black?" Taichi asked. Yamato stared at the brunette, and then kissed the man on the lips.
"You're a genius! He bested me at steel, he bested you at strength, and he must have out-thought Koushiro!"
"But we don't know where he is!" Taichi protested. Yamato turned on him.
"After eighteen years, my father will be avenged, and you bother me with trifles!" The stormed into the Forest, and then into the city itself. And that's when they heard the scream. "That's him!" Yamato shouted. Taichi stared at him.
"How do you know?"
"That is the sound of Ultimate Suffering. My heart made it when Sora slaughtered my father, his makes it now."
"But why-?"
"His true love marries another in less than a day! What other cause is there for Ultimate Suffering?" And then Yamato found he could not get through the crowds. "Please move, it's very important, please-Taichi!"
"Everybody-MOVE!!!" Yamato had always been surprised at the strength of Taichi's lungs, but now was not the time.
* * *
The scream died away, and Yamato entered a small grove of trees. And there was an albino pushing a cart. He dashed over to the man, and held his sword to his throat.
"Where is the man in black?"
"Who?" Yamato was impatient. He turned to Taichi.
"Jog his memory." With a thump on the head, the albino collapsed.
"Oops. I didn't mean to jog it so hard," Taichi explained. "Yamato, what are you doing?" Yamato was kneeling in the clearing, his sword raised high.
"Father, there is a man somewhere nearby who can help us, a man who can help me defeat the six-fingered noble. But I need your help; I cannot do it alone!" As he spoke, the sword began to move in the air, as if by itself. Yamato followed it, slowly, unsteadily, walking with more and more confidence-until it ran into a tree. "Damn it! So close, and now..." He let his head fall against a knot in the tree.
"Yamato-" Yamato didn't look up at Taichi's voice.
"What?"
"There's a door there..." Yamato glanced up, and saw the secret door in the tree open.
* * *
Taichi placed his head against Daisuke's chest, and then lifted his head sadly.
"Yamato, he's dead."
* * *
I'm sorry for the cliffhanger, but...it's too perfect a spot. I really would appreciate an honest review, and please don't fill the feedback with profanities aimed at me for ending this part where I did. Thank you, and until next time-
Part IV-The Sad Part
OR
Yamato Returns!
OR
You Don't Call a Place the Pit of Despair If You Plan to Just Keep Prisoners
* * *
Hello, I'm here with Part IV. As indicated, this is the sad part of the story. More sensitive readers, this part will not be pleasant. Anyway, please remember my guidelines: any feedback is appreciated, and I'll even take flames if they're coherent and cognizant. Thank you, and onward!
* * *
Ken woke up, sitting straight up in bed, sweat pouring down his face. The king was still alive, and the wedding wasn't for another week. He pulled on a bathrobe and hurried down the hall to Miyako's office.
"It comes to this," he began. "I know that I love Daisuke more than anything, and that if you tell me I must marry you in a week, I will be dead by morning." Miyako glanced up at him, and smiled.
"I didn't know you felt this way. But Ken, are you sure Daisuke still wants you? You, after all, did do the leaving." Ken paused.
"No, he must. He loves me, and nothing will change that." Miyako grinned at him.
"Then, here's an idea. You write a letter to him, and my four fastest ships will set out to find him; the Dread Pirate Gennai is always about Florin this time of year. If he wants you back, then bless the both of you. But if not, please consider me as an alternative to suicide." Ken nodded, and took his leave. And then Miyako caught sight of her head of Florinese security, Jun.
"Milady." Miyako nodded at the woman.
"Jun, I have heard that Guilderian soldiers plan t infiltrate the wedding and kill my husband. I want the greatest security for the wedding. Place as many men at the gate as possible, and lock every other entrance. Understand?" Jun bowed.
"Yes, milady." Miyako sat back, smiling.
* * *
"Milady, are coming down to the Pit today?" Sora was looking about a large tree in the edge of the Thieve's Forest. Miyako shook her head.
"I'm sorry, Sora."
"I'm starting him on the Machine," Sora said pleadingly. Miyako shook her head again.
"You know I love to see you work, Sora, but I'm swamped. I've got my country's 500th anniversary to plan, my wedding to prepare, my husband to murder, and Guilder to blame for it. You know, I thought it would be dramatic when he was found murdered on the Guilderian frontier, but it's going to be so much better when I strangle him on our wedding night. The people really love him, and will demand retribution for his murder. So, I wish you the best of luck." Sora nodded, and pressed the secret knot that opened the door to the Pit of Despair.
"Well, I'll tell you how it goes." Sora then turned to enter the prison.
* * *
"Hello, Daisuke. I hope you've been enjoying your stay. However, your torture will begin today. You see, I'm quite interested in the nature of pain. In fact, I'm writing a definative work on the subject. So, in a few moments, we're going to hook you up to the machine. Wallace, hook him up." After a few minutes of silence, the albino had attached several suction cups to Daisuke's head, chest, and body. "You see, this is the perfect torture device, and quite painful. I'll start on the lowest level, which is 1." She reached over, and raised a lever up a notch. Water began running, turning a wheel, and Daisuke screamed with the agony of having his heart ripped from his chest. After a few moments, Sora dropped the lever. "I took this design from a French water pump, except instead of sucking water, I'm sucking life. I just took one year of your life away. How does it feel? And please remember, this is for posterity." Daisuke only had the energy to whimper.
* * *
Miyako watched Jun enter her study.
"Come here. The Guilderian soldiers have infiltrated the Thieve's Forest. I want it emptied!" Jun blanched.
"But the thieves will resist." Miyako scoffed.
"Then form a brute squad!"
"Milady, I also have done as you asked. Only one gate is opened, and it is locked, the only key laying with me. Fifty men guard it."
"I want it doubled! My husband must be safe!" Suddenly, they turned to see Ken standing there.
"Has Daisuke returned?" Miyako smiled warmly at him.
"Give it time, Ken." Ken nodded. As he left, Miyako turned to Jun. "I want the Thieve's Forest emptied tonight!"
* * *
"My love, how are you today?" Miyako asked of Ken later. He made an effort to smile at her. "You know, we marry tomorrow. Shouldn't you be excited? *I* am, and the groom usually is also." Ken shrugged.
"I guess."
"Tommorow, at five o'clock, we marry, and then we will be escorted to our honeymoon by every ship in my fleet! Can you imagine that? A romantic honeymoon in Puerto Rico! Protected by every ship I own!"
"Every ship but your four fastest, you mean."
"Huh?" Miyako was wrapped up in her dream.
"Every ship but your four fastest, the ones you sent after Daisuke." Miyako paled, but then nodded.
"Of course, naturally not THOSE four."
"You lie. But it doesn't matter; he will come." Miyako sneered.
"You are a silly child, who believes in true love and romance." Ken glared at her.
"Yes, I am a silly person, but I believe that Daisuke will know and come for me, because we are joined by love, a love you can't break, which your cowardly heart can't track or understand! And when I saw you are a coward, it is because you are the lowest, most evil and despicable creature ever to walk the face of the earth!" Miyako's eyes flared, and she grabbed the man by the arm.
"I would not say such things if I were you!" She dragged him down the hall to his room, and locked him in. Then, she ran out of the castle to the Pit of Despair. She placed her hands to the side of Daisuke's head, and shot daggers through her eyes.
"You truly love him, and he loves you as well, Daisuke, and you might have been truly happy together. Not one couple in a *century* has that chance, no matter what the stories say. Which is why no man will ever suffer as much as you." Having made her speech, Miyako stormed over to the Machine, and pulled the lever.
"No! NOT TO 50!!" Miyako stared in grim satisfaction as Daisuke convulsed in the greatest pain imaginable. She left the machine on, listening to the screams of the dying man with sadistic pleasure. After the noise died away, she left the Machine on for another minute, and then turned it off.
"Wallace, dispose of the body. Sora, come along, we have a wedding to prepare."
* * *
The Brute Squad cleared out the Thieve's Forest that day, and soon it was empty, except...
"Jun, there's a blond Spaniard giving us trouble!" Jun looked at the lackey, and smiled.
"Come, Taichi, you and I will handle this. Everyone else, get the other thieves into the jail." She stormed over to an old inn where Yamato was standing, waving his sword at anyone that spoke to him.
"Koushiro, when things went wrong, you said to go back to the beginning, so I'm here now, back at the beginning. I'm waiting for you, Koushiro!" Jun smiled predatorily at him.
"All right, I'll take this one in for 'questioning.' Taichi, subdue him." The strong man glared at Jun, and threw her aside. He ran to Yamato's side.
"Yamato, are you all right?" He had been completely alone since Koushiro's death, having both seen the man's corpse, and seen that the man in black had killed Yamato. His depair had threatened to consume him, but now-! "Come on, we need to get you some food and rest." Taichi helped Yamato get back on his feet, got him sober, and then told him about Koushiro's death, and of the existence of the six-fingered countess. Finally:
"All right, all right, so how do I get to Sora?" Taichi shook his head.
"It's no good, Yamato. She's in the castle, and they're guarding it for the wedding. There's fifty men guarding the only working entrance." Yamato shook his head.
"I can't plan this; Koushiro always did the planning."
"What about the man in black?" Taichi asked. Yamato stared at the brunette, and then kissed the man on the lips.
"You're a genius! He bested me at steel, he bested you at strength, and he must have out-thought Koushiro!"
"But we don't know where he is!" Taichi protested. Yamato turned on him.
"After eighteen years, my father will be avenged, and you bother me with trifles!" The stormed into the Forest, and then into the city itself. And that's when they heard the scream. "That's him!" Yamato shouted. Taichi stared at him.
"How do you know?"
"That is the sound of Ultimate Suffering. My heart made it when Sora slaughtered my father, his makes it now."
"But why-?"
"His true love marries another in less than a day! What other cause is there for Ultimate Suffering?" And then Yamato found he could not get through the crowds. "Please move, it's very important, please-Taichi!"
"Everybody-MOVE!!!" Yamato had always been surprised at the strength of Taichi's lungs, but now was not the time.
* * *
The scream died away, and Yamato entered a small grove of trees. And there was an albino pushing a cart. He dashed over to the man, and held his sword to his throat.
"Where is the man in black?"
"Who?" Yamato was impatient. He turned to Taichi.
"Jog his memory." With a thump on the head, the albino collapsed.
"Oops. I didn't mean to jog it so hard," Taichi explained. "Yamato, what are you doing?" Yamato was kneeling in the clearing, his sword raised high.
"Father, there is a man somewhere nearby who can help us, a man who can help me defeat the six-fingered noble. But I need your help; I cannot do it alone!" As he spoke, the sword began to move in the air, as if by itself. Yamato followed it, slowly, unsteadily, walking with more and more confidence-until it ran into a tree. "Damn it! So close, and now..." He let his head fall against a knot in the tree.
"Yamato-" Yamato didn't look up at Taichi's voice.
"What?"
"There's a door there..." Yamato glanced up, and saw the secret door in the tree open.
* * *
Taichi placed his head against Daisuke's chest, and then lifted his head sadly.
"Yamato, he's dead."
* * *
I'm sorry for the cliffhanger, but...it's too perfect a spot. I really would appreciate an honest review, and please don't fill the feedback with profanities aimed at me for ending this part where I did. Thank you, and until next time-