Author's notes: Digimon belongs to Akiyoshi Hongo, not me. I've decided to put up a disclaimer on every other chapter, so this one counts for the last one too. And I still think Akiyoshi is a cool name. Anyways, by the time this part is out I'll probably have almost finished writing another Digimon fanfiction I've started working on called "St. Patrick's Day". It's about... it's like that movie starring Bill Murray, "Groundhog's Day", except that Kari will be the star in mine. Heh, heh. Anyhow, ON TO THE STORY!!!

The ARROW, the STAFF &the SHIELD
Part 5
By Android Eleven

Princess Mimi sat alone in her father's study and sighed. 'So, we'll be going off to the kingdom of Kamiya in twenty days,' she thought to herself. 'Please, oh PLEASE don't give Mother and Father the idea of having me married to that Crown Prince of theirs, PLEASE!'

The royals of Tachikawa had just been visited by a royal messenger from the Kamiya kingdom, inviting them to attend the celebration of Prince Taichi's coronation. When the King had been unable to come up with any possible ulterior motives to this invitation, he had jumped at the chance to go. "Perhaps," he had explained to his wife, "Prince Taichi will turn out to be a stronger ruler than those Kamiyas who came before him. I actually think this boy has real intentions for peace!"

And so, Princess Mimi, along with her mother, her father, her dear friend, Lady Miyako, and fifteen royal guards, would be going to the Prince's coronation. Also attending would be Sir Jyuu, for her father said he wished to bring along the young noble for "certain purposes" that Mimi did not understand.

Nevertheless, the Princess was glad he would be coming. Perhaps if he had any spare time, Mimi could... she let her thoughts trail off.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Come in!" she called. A spectacled, purple-haired head poked through. Lady Miyako Inoue, the Princess's lady-in-waiting.

"Your Highness? Is there anything you require at present? Biscuits, tea...?" Mimi shook her head. "How about someone to talk to?" Miyako said hesitantly, stepping into the study.

Mimi turned to look at her. Though she looked timid at the moment, Mimi knew it was a mask. Miyako was anything but timid; she was loud, bossy and brutally honest. But she was also a really good friend. The 17 year old had had a relatively difficult life before meeting the princess. Her parents had been merchants and, though quite prosperous, far from wealthy because they had five children to support. And then her father and two brothers had gone off to war. She hadn't seen them since they'd left, but it was not certain that any of them were dead, they were simply missing. Miyako's mother had come to the capital and it was there that a 13-year-old Mimi had met her and the two had become instant friends. Mimi had made her parents make Miyako into her lady-in-waiting and they were glad that she had a close friend.

But right now, the Princess felt like being alone. She told this to Lady Miyako after explaining about the invitation. Miyako nodded her head in understanding and left. Mimi sighed again and started pacing around the room, unable to keep still. She sat down on top of her father's desk, ran her hand along the top of the bookcase, tsking at all the dust and pulled out different books to look at the titles and then put them back. Then she decided to clean up a bit.

She walked about, capping bottles of liquor and placing them back into a cabinet, picking up a rag from the corner and dusting things off and opening to curtains to let some air and light in. Once she did this, Mimi went to the wall lantern to blow out the candle inside it, but couldn't seem to get the glass cover off. While tugging at it, she accidentally hit the bottom of the lantern, pushing a button she had been unaware was there.

All of a sudden the floor she was standing on started to turn. "Huh?" she gasped, letting go of the lantern and pressing her back against the rotating wall. Before she knew what was happening, the Princess found that the wall had turned around to face the inside of a room she'd never been in before. It was stuffy, cobwebby and devoid of any light, aside from the lantern she had almost distinguished. Mimi stepped forward.

There was only one thing in the entire room, aside from the spider webs she tried not to touch. It was a large chest, with a cover about the size of a large portrait, though it wasn't very tall. Mimi knelt down in front of it and blew dust from the latch. She undid it and slowly opened the chest.

"Oh my," she muttered to herself. The chest was lined with rich velvet and it contained an exquisitely carved golden shield that was encrusted with diamonds all along the edges. It was a pity such an instrument was designed for battle, it would be terrible to see it ruined, with sword marks across the front, rust along the edges and perhaps stained with blood. Now that she'd seen it, the Princess never wanted to see it scarred. And so she came up with an idea.

She ran to the lantern, pressed the button on the bottom, ran to the study door and called out Miyako's name. A few moments later she arrived. "Yes, my prince-WOAH!" Mimi yanked her into the room without a word and pressed the lantern button once more. She picked up the surprisingly light shield and handed it to Miyako.

"Take this to my dressing room. Place it in the bottom of my chest of cloaks, with the fur lined one wrapped around it. Make sure it is well hidden. And please, friend," she paused, giving Miyako a smile, "go quickly so no one will see you."

Miyako took the shield, trying not to stare at it. "Certainly, my princess. It will be done."

Mimi pressed the lantern button one last time and then saw Miyako to the door. "Thank you."

********************

"Sire? The messengers who were sent to Ishida and Tachikawa have just returned," a page stated, entering the throne room. Prince Taichi raised his head quickly, trying to hide the look of panic that had suddenly crossed his face. Lady Sora, who was sitting beside him, placed her hand on his arm, trying to reassure him. He looked at her and tried to smile.

"V-very well. Please, send them in." He looked back at Sora, who nodded and he tried to relax in his chair. The page bowed and left. Taichi sighed and turned once more towards Lady Sora. "Are you sure inviting them was a good idea? I mean, what if one of them told the messenger to tell me to dive into the bloody depths of hell or something?"

Sora gave him a hug. "Don't worry, my Prince. I'm sure that the only royal around these parts who could possibly be that impolite is you."

Taichi glared at her, but before he could retort the page had returned, bringing the messengers with him. Taichi straightened up in his chair and, despite all her assuring gestures, he could sense Lady Sora tense up also.

He cleared his throat. "Ahh, gentlemen! It is wonderful to see you both again. So, what word do you bring from the kingdoms of Ishida and Tachikawa?"

The man whom Taichi had sent to Ishida stepped forward. "I bring good word, your majesty, very good word indeed. King Yamato and Prince Takeru have agreed to attend the coronation. Two other young men, the Baron of the province of Motomiya and the young Count Hida, companions of Prince Takeru, I believe, shall also be coming. King Yamato wishes to bring only five of his own royal guards. I believe that he is hoping for the end of this war almost as much as you are, sire. He was also very generous in making sure that I was ready to return here."

Taichi's face lit up when he heard that Yamato had agreed. Even better was the fact that he seemed to want peace also. But there was still the response from Tachikawa to be heard.

"Very good, sir, very good indeed. Thank you very much for your services. I will see to it you are rewarded. And now, what news from Tachikawa?"

The other messenger stepped forward, smiling broadly. "They've agreed, majesty. The King, the Queen, their daughter, Princess Mimi, the Princess's lady-in-waiting, Lady Miyako Inoue and fifteen of their royal guards will be attending. Oh, and another young man the King mentioned, a certain Sir Jyuu of the House of Kido." With this the messenger stepped back, bowing to the Prince, still smiling to himself.

Something that the man had said had sounded very familiar to Taichi. "Did you mention a man from the House of Kido?" he asked a moment later.

The messenger gave him a puzzled look. "Yes, sire. Sir Jyuu of the House of Kido. He will be accompanying the royal family to your coronation. May I ask why you are wondering?"

Taichi didn't answer him. Kido... Kido... the House of Kido... Though he knew it sounded very familiar, he was unable to figure out from where he remembered that name. He pondered it for another moment before giving up.

"I'm sorry, I drifted off for a moment. Ahem, thank you, kind sir, for your time and services. You, too, shall be rewarded. I'll take up no more of your time, you are both free to go." The two men bowed to their Crown Prince and left.

********************

"Ouch!" shouted Baron Daisuke as he dropped his sword and skidded across the ground. As he hoisted himself out of the dirt, about 20 feet away Prince Takeru smirked and straightened from his defensive crouching position. He pulled his staff back in from its forward pointing position and went to help Daisuke. Daisuke was not impressed. "I say you're lying. You said that you've never had any more than four practice sessions with that thing in you life. If you were telling the truth about that then you never would have been able to beat someone with a sword!"

Takeru simply shrugged at these accusations. 'If he doesn't believe me then it's his problem.' "I've only had this staff for about two weeks. I have never used any other. It isn't my fault if I'm just naturally good at it."

Daisuke folded his arms and frowned. "Hmmph. Sure."

Takeru just rolled his eyes and pulled his plain, green tunic down a couple more inches over his black pants. Daisuke rubbed the spot in the middle of his chest where the Prince's golden staff had struck him. His stomach suddenly growled and he blushed. Takeru laughed. "Lunch?" Daisuke nodded sheepishly, picking up his sword and they headed inside.

When they entered the Entrance Hall, the handmaiden Mallorca, who was arranging fresh flowers in a vase, bowed to them. Takeru smiled to her and asked if she knew where Yamato was.

"Why, yes, your Highness. He is in his study, I believe." With that she bowed again and headed towards the kitchens. Takeru turned to Daisuke.

"You go ahead and get something to eat. I'll be with you in a moment." The Prince then walked towards the stairs, going to see his brother. A confused, but hungry Daisuke shrugged and went to the dining room.

Takeru made his way to the second floor and Yamato's study. He hesitated for a moment before knocking. Almost instantly he received a loud, anxious "Come in!" As he pushed open the door and stuck his head in, Takeru caught the faint smell of brandy. The King was sitting behind his desk, pouring himself a small glass of the substance from an already half-emptied bottle. Takeru sat down in front of him and sighed.

"Brother, how much of that bottle was emptied today?" Yamato shrugged.

"How much is missing?" Takeru shook his head, half exasperated, half depressed.

"I guess that I'm NOT the only one worried about our visit to Kamiya. It's hard to believe that by leaving tomorrow we may be taking our lives in our hands." He sighed again and leaned over, taking the glass from Yamato's hands and taking a gulp. His brother smiled slightly at him.

"You realize that you aren't legally allowed to drink that, right?"

Takeru shrugged. "Well, as the king of this country, it would be your duty to stop me. But I don't see you doing anything."

"That's because I know how unsettling all this is and I think that it can do you nothing but good."

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Author's Notes: Well, I did the whole "Time warp" thing where two weeks had passed in the space between two paragraphs. But I want to hurry it up. Anyway, I hope you like it and Part VI will be out soon. Thanks. Toodles!