Chapter One: Unexpected Guests
The sun shone bright high above the Royal Capital of the Kingdom. High cirrus clouds stretched languidly across the sky rarely casting a shadow below. Some birds were perched on the shoulders of the sleeping Ultragunner and when they flew away, it looked as if the Royal ATAC watched them. But the Ultragunner wasn't the only ATAC on watch.
Two Barazaph ATACs guarded the gate to the Royal Capital while several Haizurons were stationed around the palace. Galvas would at times join his men in his Serata ATAC to keep their morale high and to also escape the palace from time to time.
But now the Corps Commander was in a spacious garden in one part of the palace. The garden was surrounded by tall walls that were covered with vines seeking to escape their confinement. Tall trees filled with birdsong stood at the four corners while small shrubs sprouted in random places. The garden would have been beautiful if it weren't for the walls. The center of the garden, though, was clear as an Avalon plain.
And in the center stood Galvas and Bastion.
"You grow soft with this fine living," Galvas chided as he swung his wooden sword towards Bastion's open side. "You leave yourself wide open!" He tapped the practice sword against Bastion's ribs.
The King winced in defeat. If it were an ATAC battle, he would have taken a large amount of damage which may have rendered his ATAC useless. He hated to admit it but his skills were waning. And the sparring matches with Duke Logan weren't helping any.
"Again!" Galvas exclaimed as he went into a fighting stance. "Your performance is lacking, Your Highness, and your next sparring session with Duke Logan is coming up very soon. I heard that your last sparring match only lasted for one minute! Forgive me for saying this but that is PATHETIC! Now I know you're capable of more than that! Show me what my brother taught you!"
Bastion clenched his teeth as he, too, went into a fighting stance. He once thought Alugard a taskmaster but compared to his brother, he was a lenient teacher. Galvas was the taskmaster and that was probably due to being the older brother of Alugard. But Bastion appreciated the old man's efforts in helping him hone his skills once again. The training was a bit harsher but it would ensure that the King would be ready for his next sparring match with Duke Logan.
With a piercing yell, Bastion charged at the old man with his practice sword raised high. With both hands, he swung the weapon towards Galvas' head.
The Corps Commander stepped aside as the sword came down, his own moving to cut into Bastion's exposed backside as the King's momentum moved him forward. Bastion saw this and barely had time to jump out of the way as he felt Galvas' sword slice through the air.
"Very good!" Galvas complimented with a smile. "Let's see how you handle this!" Now it was Galvas' turn to charge.
Bastion waited patiently with his sword raised in defense. Alugard had advised to always clear the mind of emotions. It is with a clear mind that allows good judgment in battle. He took note of Galvas' attack posture, saw that he was positioned for a Tackle attack. Bastion tensed his legs as he prepared to jump out of the way.
Galvas gave a loud battle cry as he was about to tackle the King. Bastion moved out of the way just as Galvas predicted and blocked the King's swing as he had predicted as well. The Corps Commander gave the King a knowing grin before they fully engaged in their duel. Both traded sword blow for sword blow, swinging away until Galvas lost his grip on his sword.
The sword twirled through the air and landed in a nearby brush. Galvas stood dumbfounded as a grinning Bastion held the point of his wooden sword against the Corps Commander's neck.
"I guess I haven't lost all my skills," Bastion smiled as he lowered his sword.
"I guess not," Galvas returned with a grin of his own. He then went to fetch his practice sword from the shrub. "We're done for the day," he told the King when he returned. "A hot bath seems to be in order. Care to join me, Your Highness?"
Bastion nodded. "It would be best to wash this sweat off of me before attending to other matters," he agreed.
"Then let's go!" Galvas exclaimed. He slapped the King's back in a friendly fashion as they exited the garden.
***
Sadira sang a soft tune as she walked around in their bedroom rocking little Alugard to sleep.
Sunlight filtered into the royal chamber from the open windows that lined along one side of the room, letting in the gentle breezes that ruffled the white curtains that surrounded them.
A four post bed stood against one wall with a small crib at its foot. There was a glass door next to the windows that led to a balcony outside overlooking the courtyard. In the corner of the room was a round table with a vase full of flowers, their scent wafting through the room.
"Embrace light, choose the path of just nobility," Sadira sang in her beautiful soprano voice. Alugard yawned as he snuggled deep into his mother's arms. He closed his bright blue eyes and slept.
"Past the dark, there's a future bright and new," Sadira continued to sing softly as she gently placed her son down into his cradle, "if you just choose to see it." She tucked Alugard in and kissed him gently on the forehead. She then turned when she heard soft applauding coming from the doorway.
Bastion smiled as he entered the room. He was freshly groomed, his hair still wet from his bath, his face clean shaven except for his mustache. He wore a purple tunic with white pants and brown shoes. "I could not help but admire your beautiful voice, sweet Sadira," he said as he crossed the room and took his wife in his arms.
Sadira welcomed her husband into her arms and they both shared a soft kiss before they slightly pulled apart. "Well, thank you, Bastion," Sadira said gratefully. "Maybe I'll sing for you some time."
Bastion knelt down by the cradle and gently kissed his son on the forehead. He then stood up and faced Sadira. "You shouldn't sing to just me and Alugard," he said. "You should sing to others as well. You have a beautiful voice, Sadira, and it's a waste if you don't share it."
"Y-you think so?" Sadira asked uncertainly.
Bastion placed both his hands on Sadira's shoulders and said, "I know so." Then his face lit up as an idea formed in his head. "I know!" he suddenly exclaimed. "Why don't you perform at our son's first year birthday party? It's a week from now... Plenty of time for you to practice!"
"A-are you serious?!" Sadira stammered in shock. "In front of all our visitors?!"
Bastion shrugged. "I see no problem with it. You have a natural talent for singing. You shouldn't be ashamed of it." He then gave Sadira a quick peck on the cheek before turning to leave.
"B-but--" the Queen protested as she chased after the King.
Bastion ignored Sadira as he exited the room to attend to some business.
Sadira followed after him and looked down the hall to see his retreating form. "Bastion!" she shouted.
And wished she hadn't done that as Alugard's wailing broke through the afternoon air. Sadira sighed as she returned to the room but then smiled faintly. "Maybe I'll practice after all."
***
Yukio sat in a dark room illuminated only by two torches. His legs were folded beneath and his hands were on his thighs, his elbows held back and his back and shoulders straight. His head was slightly lowered, his chin almost touching his chest as he breathed in through his nose and out through the mouth. His eyes were closed in meditation.
But those eyes suddenly snapped open when he heard a faint knock on the door. "What is it?" he demanded.
The door slid partway revealing a middle-aged man dressed in ninja garb. The man was seated like Yukio. "Forgive me, Toryu-sama," the man addressed Yukio as he bowed, his forehead almost touching the floor. "A letter has arrived from the Pharastia Kingdom."
"Nani?!" Yukio exclaimed as he quickly stood up. "Bring it here quickly!"
"H-hai!" the man exclaimed as he stood up as well and quickly ran over to Yukio to hand him the letter.
Yukio snatched it from the man's hands and quickly read over the contents of the letter. A ferocious smile graced his lips when he finished reading it. "Are the prisoners ready?" he asked the man.
"Hai!" the man replied as he bowed. "Will you take all three with you, Toryu-sama?"
Yukio nodded. "Hai. Get them prepared. It's time we attend a party."
"Hai!" the man replied again as he bowed low and quickly exited the room.
Yukio again looked at the letter. He had waited for an opportunity to strike at the Kingdom and this seemed to be the most opportune time. He then thought of the prisoners. Two of them, male, sought revenge; one against the Kingdom and the other against the Empire.
But the third, the only female, seemed to seek revenge of a different sort. Yukio found her intriguing. His scouts had found her wandering around the forests in a bright-colored ATAC. She had resisted when they had tried to capture her, resulting in a few losses. The girl had a fiery fighting spirit and when she was finally captured, she became withdrawn...
Until Yukio ordered some of his ninjas to start training her. She took up the training with zeal as she excelled in the deadly art. Yukio was very pleased with the girl. The training a ninja normally completed in sixteen years, she had completed in only two. It was a feat worth of respect.
And now he would have to figure out the girl's source of anger. She rarely spoke of her past and the other two prisoners knew her as the friend of the King of the Pharastia Kingdom. But that is all they knew. They didn't even know her name.
Yukio had a lot to learn about the girl. "Perhaps her history will be revealed once we enter the Royal Capital of the Pharastia Kingdom," he mused as he rolled the invitation and exited the room.
***
"Don't you look cute this evening!" Sadira exclaimed as she held her son up and smiled at him.
Prince Alugard clapped his chubby little hands as he squealed in glee. The Prince wore a white miniature formal suit and his head full of red hair was brushed back, like a true Prince.
Today was a very special occasion. It was Prince Alugard's first birthday and Bastion had invited the leaders of the various countries to celebrate. Sadira thought that he was going a bit overboard in the celebration but he said that it'll strengthen their unity together.
"I suppose he's right," Sadira sighed then noticed her son staring curiously at her. She smiled at him and said, "Why don't we go meet your father?" Alugard giggled his agreement.
"Don't bother," a deep voice said from the doorway. Alugard giggled as he struggled in his mother's arms to take a look at the stranger.
"He seems very happy to see you," Sadira commented as she turned to face her husband.
Bastion stood at the doorway wearing his usual smile. The King wore a white long-sleeved shirt and white pants with his sword belt buckled in the middle complete with sword and scabbard hanging to his side. An orange sleeveless coat went over his simple attire followed by brown shoes. Nothing too fancy for he was a simple man.
"And I'm very glad to see him, too!" Bastion exclaimed as he approached his wife and his son. Alugard laughed and extended his chubby little arms towards his father. "You want me to carry you?" Bastion asked his son innocently as he happily took Alugard in his arms.
Bastion swung his son around in the air. Alugard responded in kind by yelping in delight, his mouth open in a wide smile. "So, you want to be a bird, huh?" the King laughed as he swung his son around one more time before bringing his flight to a stop.
Alugard was still giggling as Bastion kissed him on the head. The King then handed him back to Sadira. As soon as Alugard was back in the Queen's arms, the young Prince started to cry. "Hungry already?" Sadira questioned uncertainly. "Here Bastion," she said as she handed Alugard back to him, "hold him while I prepare his bottle."
"Alright, Sadira," Bastion replied as he took his son back into his arms. Alugard suddenly stopped crying and started to babble while hugging his father's shirt.
Sadira noticed this. "Well, I guess he isn't hungry after all," she smiled. "He just wanted you to carry him."
"I don't mind though I wish I could understand what he's saying," Bastion said as he tickled his son. "Aren't babies suppose to start talking around this age?"
Sadira gave Bastion a playful slap on the shoulder. "Don't rush him," she said. "He'll talk in his own time." Bastion sighed then heard a knock on the door.
Franco slowly entered the room and smiled at the small scene. But then he remembered why he had entered. "Your Highnesses," he greeted with a bow.
"What is it, Franco?" Sadira asked as she acknowledged the chief advisor's presence.
"Your guests have begun to arrive," Franco replied. "Should I usher them to the main hall? Or will you be there to greet them personally?"
"I had planned to greet our guests in person," Bastion answered. He then was about to hand Alugard back to Sadira but she held her hands back.
"No way, Bastion," she said calmly. "I don't want him to start wailing again and neither do you. He's happy with you. Let him stay in your arms."
Bastion sighed again then smiled. "You can help me greet the guests, right, Alugard?" he said in a slightly high-pitched voice to his son.
"Bab-bab!" was all Alugard could say as he kicked his feet and smiled.
"I'll take that as a yes," the King grinned.
"I may as well go myself," Sadira stated. "You'll never know when Alugard will start crying again."
Bastion chuckled. "I was hoping you would come with me, Sadira. It'll be hard greeting guests with this bundle in my arms."
Now it was Franco's turn to chuckle. "Indeed. They'll crowd all over you just to take a glimpse at the young Prince." He then went over to the door. "You two should get going. You don't want to keep your guests waiting."
The chief advisor then left the room followed by Bastion carrying a giggling Alugard and lastly by Sadira.
***
Duke Logan of Nordilain Forest accompanied by his daughter, Claire, and her just recently announced fiance, Shion, were the first to arrive at the Royal Capital.
"Welcome, Duke Logan!" Bastion greeted and would have shook the warrior's hand if his hands weren't full already.
The group stood outside the audience hall, where the party would be held. The huge doors to the hall were opened, inviting the visitors to enter. Soft music could be heard and the scent of the main course wafted through the air, as if it called on the visitors. But the rule of common courtesy called for Duke Logan to return the King's greeting and express gratitude for being an honorable guest.
"Hello, King Bastion and Queen Sadira," Duke Logan returned. "Thank you for inviting us to your small party."
"Like, hi, Sadira," Claire greeted her friend.
"Hello, Claire," Sadira responded in kind.
Alugard then decided to also make his presence known. "Ab-ab!" he jabbered with a grin, showing his front teeth that had recently grown.
"Well, it seems that Alugard is also happy to see you, Duke Logan!" Bastion exclaimed and Alugard responded his agreement by saying, "Ab-ab!"
Duke Logan gave a hearty chuckle. "Well, I'm glad to see him as well!" Logan stated cheerfully as he began to make comical faces in front of the Prince. Alugard squealed in delight at the silly man with the large sideburns.
Claire rolled her eyes. "Okay, Daddy, like, let's go sit and stuff!" she declared as she took her father's arm and dragged him towards the audience hall to find their table.
"But, Claire...!" Logan protested with a pouty face as he tried to match his daughter's stride.
Bastion and Sadira watched the pair march away then turned back to see Shion handing a wrapped gift to the Queen. "A gift for the young Prince," he explained in a mild voice. He then went to join his group.
Sadira looked at the wrapped box curiously, turning it this way and that way. "I wonder what it is?" she muttered.
"We'll find out at the end of the party," Bastion said as he tried to calm an excited Alugard.
"You're right," Sadira agreed. "Here, Franco," she said as she handed the gift to the chief advisor who was standing to the side. "You can place this with the rest of the gifts."
"As you wish, Your Highness," Franco obliged as he took the wrapped box and left to place it among the others in the royal chamber.
Next to arrive was Emperor Duyere and his wife, Empress Arlene, and his grandmother, Halak. The Emperor was only recently married and was very happy.
Bastion and Sadira were happy for Duyere to have found a caring wife. Sadira had told her brother that she had almost given up hope for him but was now happy to finally have a sister-in-law.
Arlene was a stunning woman with medium-length hair that shone like the sun and eyes that seem to mirror the sky on a cloudless day. Bastion and Sadira had wondered where Duyere had met her, seeing that she was no ordinary woman. But that question was best kept for another day.
Bastion greeted his brother-in-law, new sister-in-law, and Halak with a smile. Duyere, Arlene, and Halak returned his greeting in kind. Arlene then gave Sadira Alugard's gift while Duyere momentarily carried his nephew, who seem to not mind at all as he giggled. The Emperor then handed him back to Bastion before he and Arlene went to join the other guests. Halak, however, stayed behind and joined Franco to the side and caught up on news like old times.
And so, that's how it went for most of the evening as the sun set towards the west. Lord Alden and his entourage consisting of Melior, Devlin, and Barlow arrived about an hour after Emperor Duyere. Duke Zeira, Reyna, Ione, and Nana came about a half hour after Lord Alden's group. It was the Duke's group, however, that elicited a surprising reaction from Alugard.
"Hey, Bastion!" Reyna greeted the King.
As soon as Alugard heard her voice, he began to cry as loud as his small lungs could allow. "What's wrong?" Bastion asked panicking. He tried to calm his son as he made funny faces, tickled him, and rocked him. But none of those methods seem to pacify the boy. "Sadira, I can't seem to make him stop crying," Bastion said as he handed Alugard to her.
"Maybe he's just hungry," Sadira suggested as she took Alugard in her arms and tried feeding him a bottle. But Alugard just pushed the bottle away as he continued to wail. "Why can't you stop crying?" Sadira asked him softly as she began to rock him.
But the young Prince continued to cry.
His crying was now attracting the other guests' attention, embarrassing both parents. "Shh, shh..." the Queen said soothingly as she patted his back but that didn't seem to work either.
"Maybe I could help," Reyna offered her assistance.
"Any help would be greatly appreciated," Sadira agreed as she handed Alugard to Reyna.
Surprisingly enough, Alugard stopped crying as Reyna held him. The young woman smiled in triumph and said, "See? I tell you this kid loves me!"
Suddenly, Alugard started crying again louder than before, which made the others cringe at the sound. Reyna thought she had suddenly gone deaf.
"The Prince loves you alright," Ione said sarcastically, wincing at the crying baby. "I think you should leave him with the parents while we all take a seat with the others. Hopefully, that'll stop Alugard from crying."
"What did I do wrong?" Reyna complained as Bastion took Alugard back into his arms.
"I don't know, but whatever it was, the Prince doesn't like you for it," Ione replied as she pushed her friend towards the hall. Duke Zeira shrugged apologetically to the royal couple before following the two women. Nana stared at the couple thoughtfully as she followed the Duke from behind.
As soon as the group left, Alugard seemed to calm down. Bastion and Sadira breathed a sigh of relief. "I thought he would never stop crying!" the King exclaimed as he looked down at his winded son.
The Prince yawned as his eyes drooped. He snuggled deep into his father's arms before falling asleep. "I guess all that crying made him tired," Bastion whispered as he rocked his son.
Sadira sighed as she said, "The party was just getting started. It couldn't be helped anyway. I wonder why he dislikes Reyna though."
"Me, too," Bastion nodded.
As soon as the conversation ended, Marquis Dionne and Andrew made their presence known and the royal couple were happy to see the last of their guests arrive.
***
Four ATACs marched through Kingdom territory as the sun finally vanished below the horizon. Many stars dotted the sky and the moon was only a slender crescent that gave very little light. But despite the lack of light, the ATACs moved with ease through the brush like shadow wraiths.
After a few hours of trekking through the dark, the ATACs were in sight of their destination: the Royal Capital.
One of the ATACs raised a hand motioning for the group to stop. The ATACs halted and waited for further instructions.
The ATAC that raised its hand--the recognized leader of the group--turned to look at one of the ATACs. "You know what to do," the pilot uttered.
The ATAC nodded in reply before disappearing among the surrounding trees.
The leader ATAC then turned to the two remaining ATACs in his group. "Come. We are already late as it is." The group of three ATACs marched on towards the Royal Capital.
The two Barazaphs guarding the gate to the Royal Capital picked up the approaching ATACs on their scanners. They immediately went on guard, puzzled by the sight of ATACs marching through the night.
"Who do you suppose they could be?" a pilot asked his fellow comrade.
"I don't know," the other replied as his ATAC shrugged. "Perhaps they could be guests for the Prince's birthday party."
"Maybe," the first pilot allowed. "We'll need to confirm that by checking their invitation."
The other nodded and the conversation came to an end as the three ATACs approached. It was quite difficult to fully identify what type of ATACs stood at the gate since they weren't within range of the two blazing torches burning at both sides of the gate but both sentries knew that they were quite different than those they had seen during the war. But that didn't stop them from doing their duty.
"Halt!" one of the guards called to the three. "What brings you to the Royal Capital?"
One of the mysterious ATACs stepped forward and replied, "We were invited by the King to celebrate his son's first birthday."
It seemed that the guards' presumption were correct. The guard who had addressed the ATACs looked back at his companion who nodded. The guard then turned back to the visitors and said, "Deactivate your ATACs and show me your invitation at once!"
The visitors seemed to obey as both guards watched their ATACs deactivate. The sentry then deactivated his own ATAC as his comrade stood watch, his sword held ready. The guard then climbed out of his ATAC and awaited his guest on the ground.
The guest nimbly jumped down from his ATAC, which startled the guard somewhat. "Sorry for startling you," the stranger apologized to the guard as he bowed slightly.
The sentry collected what dignity he had left and took a moment to study the stranger. It was easier to study the stranger up close than their mysterious ATACs. The torchlight flickered on a face that looked like a hawk with slightly slanted black eyes, a slightly pointed nose, and high cheekbones. His hair was brushed back and, from what the guard could guess, tied into a ponytail.
The clothing the stranger wore was completely foreign to the guard. The man wore pleated pants that seemed far too large and an equally large jacket held close with a braided cord tied in a decorative knot. His footwear was as equally foreign as his clothing. The stranger wore white socks but instead of shoes, he wore sandals with a v-shape thong which came between the big toe and the rest of his foot.
Lastly, the sentry noted that the stranger was armed with a slender sword hanging from his side.
The stranger watched the guard study him while he studied the guard himself for future reference. He wore the orange uniform of a soldier of the Kingdom and the way the sentry performed suggested that he was newly enlisted.
The guard then held out his hand. "Your invitation, sir," he requested.
The stranger pulled out a rolled up parchment from his jacket and handed it to the guard, who opened it and read it over quickly. His eyes grew wide seeing that the invitation was genuine. "I welcome you to the Royal Capital, honorable guest," the guard declared as he handed back the invitation and bowed. "Please, allow me to escort you to the Royal Hangar."
The guard then climbed back into his ATAC and the stranger followed suit. The guard then exchanged a few words with his fellow companion while their guests waited.
"So, they were invited to the party," the second guard mused. "Okay, lead them to the Royal Hangar while I stand watch. But you'd better return."
"Of course, I will," the first guard said. "I may be new but I'm not stupid." He then turned to the three ATACs. "Please follow me," he instructed them.
As the three ATACs approached the gate and within the torches' light, the second guard took note of their ATACs. Two of them seem somewhat similar to the Vedocorban but deadlier. The ATAC that led them, however, was quite extraordinary.
The second guard thought that the Roaring Lion and the Crimson were the scariest ATACs to set eyes on because of their incredible strength, but now those two seemed friendlier than the ATAC he watched pass by.
It was almost similar to Galvas' Serata except for the fact that it bore spikes along its forearms, knuckles, shoulders, and shins. It also wore a long flowing cape, which was unusual for an ATAC to wear. The second guard thought it made the ATAC look more sinister.
At least they came as friends and not foes for he didn't want to engage that ATAC in combat.
***
The guard got out of his ATAC and waited for his guests to park their ATACs. Like the second guard, he had taken note of his guests' ATACs. And like the second guard, he was thankful that they came as friends. He then watched as his guests approached him.
He had already met their presumed leader but he took note of his companions.
One was a clean shaven old man wearing the same clothing as the stranger. He was holding a square pot that held a miniature tree. The guard presumed it to be a gift for the Prince though he didn't see the usefulness of it. Who gives trees as gifts anyway?
The second companion was a young woman with black hair tied into a bun. She wore a colorful robe with flowing sleeves that hung almost to her ankles. A very thick sash was tied around her waist into a ribbon at her back. Though her attire was bright, her expression was not. Her dark brown eyes seemed lifeless and yet, he saw something flickering within them, like a dying fire trying to spurt back into life. Her mouth was a thin line, neither smiling nor frowning. It unnerved the guard somewhat.
He then brought his attention back to the man he had met at the gate. "Come," he said. "I will lead you to the main part of the castle. Then I will tell you where to go after."
"Fine," the man agreed.
The guard nodded and led the group through the twisting catwalks of the hangar. As the group strode along, the stranger took note of the many ATACs present. He recognized most of them as being the excavated ATACs but he took special attention of one particular ATAC.
It was the same ATAC that the girl had piloted. He looked at his female companion to see any reaction but found none. The girl hides her emotions well, he mused silently.
The stranger then addressed the guard. "That ATAC," he said pointing to the one that had caught his interest, "who does it belong to?"
The guard turned to look. "Oh! That's the Amphisia ATAC piloted by Melior, a close friend of Lord Alden, leader of the Duchy of Hibernia."
"I see," was all the stranger could say.
The guard continued to lead the visitors until they approached the end of the hangar where the catwalk turned into a bridge of stone. Two very notable ATACs also stood at the end of the hangar: the Queen's Sylpheed and the King's Alba.
The guard paused briefly to admire the two ATACs. "Beautiful," he heard the stranger mutter and he nodded in agreement before resuming his position as guide.
They passed the bridge going between the two ATACs then turned left. They could see a door ahead of them When they reached the wooden portal, the guard opened it and motioned for his visitors to go through. He followed shortly after them.
The group now stood in a large hallway with huge windows lining one side of the hall. "Keep going down this hall," the guard instructed them. "You will eventually reach the audience hall where the party is being held." The guard then bowed. "I must return to my post," he said. "Good evening to you all." The guard bowed one more time before leaving the group.
"We must be on our way," the group leader stated and his companions nodded.
The guest led the way down the hall flanked by his two companions. As they traveled the sparsely lit hallway, the stranger took note of the side passages and the guards that stood at certain points in the hallway. He then noticed one of his companions acting strange.
The old man's eyes darted back and forth like a cornered rabbit seeking escape. His hands shook the potted plant he held, small amount of dirt spraying forth. The man quickly took the plant from the old man before it became ruined. "Calm down!" he whispered harshly to his subordinate. "None will recognize you here. Remember that ninja are master of disguises and we disguised you well. Just don't talk. They may recognize your voice. Now here," he handed the pot back to the old man. "Be careful with it this time!"
The old man nodded meekly as he took back the plant. His master was right. They had disguised him well. It was only his voice that would give his identity away. He then smirked at the thought of walking through his enemies' palace unnoticed. He then sighed in relief and tried to enjoy what scenery the palace offered.
After a few minutes of walking through the hallway, the group was able to hear the sound of celebration coming from the end of the hall. It was faint at first but became louder as they came closer to their destination.
Then they saw the double doors of the audience hall but they were closed. Two guards stood to either side of the entrance. The group approached them and their leader showed them the invitation...
***
The audience hall was abuzz with activity. It rang with laughter and lively conversation with music coming from the gallery mingling with the present noise. Kegs of ale were brought from the wine cellar and Duke Logan made it his business to empty them. Chefs from the nearby kitchen continued to refill the buffet table seeing that one of their guests had a big appetite; a VERY big appetite.
"Jeez, Barlow!" Devlin exclaimed as he saw his plump friend return from the buffet table with his fifteenth helping of food. "You'll clean out every main dish before the cake will be even cut!"
"Well, put it this way," Barlow mumbled with a mouth full of food, "at least none of this food will go to waste!"
As Devlin groaned, another conversation was taking place at Duke Zeira's table. Reyna fidgeted while the others of her group conversed. They had forbidden her to talk, lest the young Prince heard her voice and cried again. She couldn't understand why Alugard would cry whenever he heard her voice. Was her voice scratchy? High-pitched? Whiny? Well, whatever it was, the Prince didn't like it. Reyna just sighed as she poked at her food and listened to the conversation.
King Bastion and Queen Sadira were seated at the end of the audience hall, overlooking their guests. Alugard--now wide awake--sat on his mother's lap, clapping and laughing at all the people present. It seemed everyone was enjoying the party. But it needed some entertainment to liven things a bit.
Bastion looked at Sadira and smirked. "So, are you ready to sing?" he asked her mischievously.
Sadira stared at him, mortified at the thought. She had hoped that Bastion would have forgotten but it seemed he remembered. "N-now?!" she stuttered as she thought of an excuse to get herself out of this situation.
"It's a perfect time as any," Bastion nodded. Before Sadira could protest, he stood up and was about to announce their little entertainment but stopped when he heard the doors to the audience hall squeak open.
The music stopped and all talking ceased as everyone stared at the portals. Bastion wondered if one of his guards brought an urgent message for him because it couldn't be any more guests for his party. Everyone that were expected to come had arrived. But perhaps he missed someone.
The portals were fully opened by the two guards that were posted outside. They stood up straight with their backs against the doors. Bastion and the others watched as three figures wearing strange clothing emerged from the entryway.
More guests?, Bastion thought curiously.
The three strangers walked forward while everyone watched in curiosity. The strangers then stopped before the raised platform where the King and Queen stood and bowed in unison. The man that led them then spoke.
"Sorry for arriving late, Your Majesty" he apologized. "We have traveled far to join in the celebration of Prince Alugard's first birthday."
Curious and a little puzzled, Bastion asked, "Who are you and where do you come from, stranger?"
"I am Lord Yukio Toryu," the man replied. He then pointed to the old man to his left. "This is Commander Zaku, and this," he pointed to his right, "is Rea, my advisor. We come from the province of Ryuzoku of the Southern Alliance."
Translation Notes:
-sama: an honorific
nani: what?
hai: yes, okay, alright
Author's Notes: Yes, it's strange to see Japanese culture integrated in this fic. The way I see it, ninjas originated from Japan so why not include that? I also see the Southern Alliance as being a diverse country so you can expect to see some other cultures integrated into this as well. There is a reason for this so just bear with me.