"Yamato—you've got to hurry!" Takeru yelled from the doorway. "There's so many of them—Hikari and Daisuke can't keep them back much longer!"
To prove his point there was a strangled scream from the corridor.
I winced, looking desperately up at the stone face of my love. "It's not working Takeru! I don't know what to do!"
"Maybe you should try the necklace! Dai did say something about that—" Takeru yelled back, not looking away from the doorway.
I pulled the necklace out of my shirt and held it out in a futile gesture. "I don't know what to do Taichi. I'm sorry—"
There was another scream. This time I recognised the voice.
Hikari.
"Please Taichi," I begged. "Come back, please—" I put a hand to that still face again and was met only by cold stone. "Why couldn't we have covered this at school—"
"Daisuke!" Takeru screamed in horror. "Daisuke I'm coming!"
"No!"
My frantic call was too late, my brother had dashed out into the corridor. I turned back desperately to Taichi knowing there was nothing else I could do. "Please—please come back. Please—they need you. I need you—Taichi, you've got to come back—"
The sound of heavy feet was very close now.
"Taichi," I begged. "Please—it's me, Yamato. You've got to hear me—Remember? I made you the cocoa and everything—" I hesitated a moment. "I love you Taichi."
The statue remained impassive.
I heard the door to the room be flung open and knew that it was over.
I shut my eyes, moving in to plant one last kiss on Taichi's cold forehead. "I'm so sorry," I whispered, a tear falling from my eyes. "I let you down—Taichi—"
Harsh metal on stone rang out behind me, I feared to turn around.
"Lift her down," a voice ordered. "Turn her round so we can see what sort of taste the late prince had."
I struggled to hold on to Taichi but the guards pulled me away embarassingly quickly. I should have kept up those judo lessons.
Instead all I could do was glare at the Duke, a tall man, mask not hiding the blonde hair that cascaded down his back. Most disturbing of all were the fangs that protruded from his mouth. He grinned at me, noticing my discomfort.
"Rather scrawny aren't you? And small chested—I wonder what the prince was thinking."
I folded my arms. "I'm not a girl!"
The Duke raised one eyebrow. "That certainly makes things interesting. To bad we'll never know how things might have panned out—I would have loved to have seen the looks on the councillors faces when the prince arrived with you as his consort—" He motioned another guard forward. "But I can't leave you living in order to find out now, can I? Too big a risk. Kill him now."
"No!" Takeru protested vainly, held back by one of the guards. Daisuke also struggled to get free. Hikari watched, with tears streaming down her face. I took in all of this as I stepped back, away from my appointed executioner—
"Please—" I said. "If I have to die, don't make Takeru watch."
The masked Duke shrugged. "I suppose we can accede to that request. Take the princess and her companions to the main hall. The wedding and the coronation shall proceed immediately once I return."
The guards acquiesced, leading the others out. Takeru was openly sobbing, Daisuke doing his best to comfort him though shaken himself—I did my best to try and appear unworried for them.
In reality I'd never been more terrified.
"I like your style Yamato. I can definitely see why the prince might have been interested."
"You're really going to bring him back?" I asked.
"Of course. Not that it will make much difference. Two weeks after my wedding to Hikari, the prince and princess will die in a house fire. Freak accident. I of course shall be devastated."
I glared at him. "I hate you," I spat.
"Delighted to hear it. Shall we proceed? Time is pressing you know . . . and I'd hate to be late for my own wedding."
I was roughly pushed to the floor before the statue of Taichi. "Don't move," the guard said. "I'll try to keep this as painless as possible."
"Thank-you," I said with as much sarcasm I could muster. It had started to sink in, I was actually going to die—I shut my eyes as the guard raised the sword.
"Ready—"
I tensed waiting for the blow. My hand fastened around the necklace I wore, and I thought of when Taichi had given it to me—if I'd gone with him as He asked, maybe none of this would have happened . . . I shut that thought out hastily. If I was going to die, I wanted my last thoughts to be of something special. Taichi bringing me breakfast in bed. Curling up on the sofa with me. Teasing me, calling me Yama-chan—
The memories I'd lost of him resurfaced in my mind—for some reason, I felt what Daisuke had described—sure he was very close.
Just as well, I thought—I'd hate to die without saying goodbye to you, Taichi.
"What's the hold up?"
"He's so young Duke—" The guard protested.
"Don't I pay you enough to take care of little matters like that? Kill him."
This time I didn't feel fear, only a sense of calm. If I couldn't live, maybe I could be with Taichi—
"Stop!" There was a rustle of cloth as someone put themselves between me and the guards. "I forbid you to do this."
My heart thudded painfully. It couldn't be—but—I looked up.
Taichi was looking down the guards with a cool stare. "If you kill Yamato, you have to kill me first."
"That's easily arranged," the Duke smiled. "Guard?" he motioned for the guard to proceed.
The guard looked at Taichi and shook his head. "That's the prince. I can't kill the prince—"
"What? Of course you can!" The Duke turned to the rest of his men. "Anyone else want a promotion? Kill the royal brat and its yours."
No one moved.
"Fine," the Duke grabbed a sword from one of the guards and advanced on us. "I'll do it myself."
Taichi backed away. He was unarmed. Earlier whn I'd said I'd never been more terrified—that was nothing to how scared I felt now. Because Taichi was facing the Duke without a weapon—
The Duke took one swipe at him which he narrowly avoided.
"Your highness!" one of the guards called, sliding his sword along the floor. The Duke and Taichi saw it at the same moment, but Taichi moved more quickly, reaching the sword before the Duke and snatching it up to block his thrust with ease that spoke of long practice.
Some of the tightness in my chest eased away as I realised Taichi was very good at this.
"Guards! Take Yamato into the corridor and wait there!" Taichi ordered. "I want no one to interfere with this fight—this is between the Duke and myself."
"Agreed," the Duke said. "I want to be able to claim the throne with no opposition."
The guards didn't give me the option of staying. I paced the corridor, wondering what was going on in the room—from the sound of things it was a closely fought battle.
Taichi had to win—I repeated firmly to myself. He just would—
But the Duke had been good to—and he'd already shown himself to be ruthless—
By the time the door finally opened, I was too afraid to see who emerged.
"Your highness," the guards bowed.
"Thank-you." My heart leapt at the reply. That wasn't the duke—
Taichi stood before the guards his ornate tunic missing a sleeve and panting—but managing to smile.
"I take it this means you are no longer the Duke's soldiers?"
"We'll serve you, your highness, if we may—"
"Help me secure my sister's safety and I'll overlook anything you may have done in the Duke's service," Taichi promised, coming over to me.
"Yamato—" He said, touching my cheek. "You came after all."
I grinned at him, thinking that without a doubt my heart was going to burst.
"We have to save my sister," he said, eyes not leaving my face.
"And my brother," I said. "And we can't forget Daisuke—"
"He's here too?" Taichi grinned. "This is turning into a regular reunion." He turned back to the guards. "What's the layout of this palace? How many troops are there, and how many of them are loyal to the Duke?"
We went directly to the main hall where the wedding was scheduled to take place, with two squadrons of soldiers who had spontaneously decided that a live prince had better prospects as an employer than a dead Duke. The hall was huge—hung with torches and banners and flowers. Soldiers were everywhere, although a fair amount did not appear that happy about it—and neither did the guests if their somber apparel was anything to go by.
There was total silence as Taichi took the podium. "I'm sorry to disappoint all of you people who came here to see a wedding—I'm afraid it won't be taking place. The Duke won't be joining us. With that in mind, all soldiers must drop their weapons now or swear allegiance to me—"
"Yamato!" Daisuke hissed.
I left Taichi reclaiming his throne and went to join my brother and the others at the side of the stage. The soldiers guarding them were now in the process of untying them—as soon as his bonds were untied Takeru threw himself at me.
"Yamato! Iw as so scared—I thought you'd die!"
"Me too," I whispered hugging him. "But I didn't."
Hikari is again wiping away tears, of joy this time, and she is next to hug me. "Thank-you, Yamato."
"I'm not entirely sure I did anything," I murmured.
"And finally I'd like you all to meet the new Duke of Fahr-Lon. Yamato, would you come over here?"
I stared at Taichi as he beckoned me over. "You want to make me a Duke?"
"I want to make you mine, keep you by my side forever, and show you everyday how much I love you," Taichi answered. "But I figure Duke is a start. At least it'll mean that you have to visit here occasionally."
"In that case I accept—" I grinned, earning a long kiss from Taichi.
The room went very quiet again.
"I forgot we had an audience," Taichi muttered, drawing back.
I blushed, feeling over a hundred stares on me. And then suddenly there was applause—
"I guess I measure up," I whispered to Taichi.
"I guess you do—" he kissed me back, then took a gold circlet from a neary robed figure. "Kneel Yamato, I'm going to make you a Duke."
--oOo--
The next day we stood in the same hall, now decorated with purple and gold for Taichi's coronation. No longer a Prince, I smiled as he winked at me before going back to thanking the distinguished visitors for their presence.
My smile faded as I thought about our circumstances. Taichi had made me a Duke which gave me a place to stay in his world. But—I still had a father and a band, back home. I had friends and plans—and I wasn't sure I could give them up. Most of all I knew I couldn't leave my father alone . . .
"Yamato? What's the matter?"
Taichi had finished with his guests and was coming over to me.
"Taichi, I'm sorry. I love you—but I've got to go home."
Taichi listened as I told him of my thoughts. "It's okay, Yamato. I can't just expect you to drop everything to join me here—and I'd hate to take you away from your family."
Takeru and Daisuke joined us.
"It's time for you to go back," Taichi said. "Before your absence causes too much problems."
"My Mother will already have grounded me—" Takeru sighed. "Better to get it over with."
"But—" Daisuke didn't appear to have thought of this.
"It must be done," Taichi told him, gently. "Yamato? Thank-you."
"Anytime," I said, with a try and a jaunty shrug.
There was not much left to say after that and we left. Daisuke was our guide again—the briars were gone, and we had a much easier journey back.
When I pushed open the door to our apartment, I was surprised to find my Dad sitting there.
"What are you doing here?" I asked. "Your flight doesn't come in till tonight."
"Your mother phoned me. She's frantic because Takeru didn't come home last night and—" my father blinked as Takeru tried to hide behind Daisuke. "I think you two have some explaining to do."
He took it remarkably well considering. Finding out your eldest son is both gay and a Duke of a magical kingdom, well, it can't be easy. Daisuke helped us out by performing a magic spell for him and then we all went round to face my Mother together.
Takeru was still grounded though but Daisuke was not forbidden to visit.
"I'd like to meet this Taichi of yours sometime," my father said on the way home.
"I'm sure you will," I said, as we climbed the stairs to our apartment. Rounding the corner I caught sight of a brown haired figure leaning against our door. "Actually, I know you will."
--oOo--
This time it is the end. Thanks for reading and reviewing! I think the ending sucks, so sorry about that.
Strawberries!