Author's notes: Sorry it took so long for the new chapter. It took me a while to write this one. Not to mention that depressing excuse for a finale that aired a couple weeks ago (and BTW, I've decided to happily pretend that that episode never happened). It discouraged me from writing for a while. I mean, I'm a VERY dedicated Takari and Taiora fan (I screamed when I first found out how the season was going to end), wouldn't you be? Anyways, onto a note for all Mimato fans: This story is not, I repeat, NOT a Mimato story (Even though w/ all the reviews asking for it, I ALMOST changed my mind). If you would like to read some Mimato, read my story "Future's Quest", they're married and have an eight-year old son in that one.
Anyway, Digimon's not mine (if it was, you could bet you're a** season 2 wouldn't have turned out like that) and everyone knows it, so ONTO THE STORY!
The ARROW, the STAFF &the SHIELD
Part 12
By Android Eleven
"Where is he?" Mimi demanded angrily, as she emerged from her room after the discussion with her parents. Lady Miyako, who'd been waiting for her to come down, was dumbfounded.
"Where is who, Princess?" she questioned, confused.
"Sir Jyuu! WHERE IS HE!?!" Mimi shouted, extremely frustrated at this point. Miyako, who had no knowledge as to what the conversation her King and Queen had just had with their daughter had been about, was taken aback by the Princess' outburst. Even a bit frightened. But, as confused as she was, Miyako knew better than to disobey Mimi when she was in a mood like that.
"The library, I believe, Majesty."
Mimi had already started on her way, storming off down the corridor to confront Jyuu in the library, when she paused, realizing something. She turned back around to face Miyako again. "Where is the library?"
Lady Miyako sighed (A/N: and sweatdropped). 'It figures,' she thought to herself, 'I always get stuck spending the most time around her when she's in a foul mood like this. Why doesn't she ever seem to want to be around me when she's happy?' But out loud, she replied politely, "Follow me, Princess. I'll show you the way."
**
"Hello," a startled Grand Duke Koushiro said as the young man, who had been pacing silently about the stacks of books in the library for the last few minutes, came over and sat down beside him at the table where he had been reading. The man, who, now that Koushiro had a better look, appeared to be a couple of years older than he, studied him for a moment, almost as if he hadn't noticed Koushiro sitting there, before responding.
"Hello," he replied sullenly as he lowered his gaze back down to the table. Koushiro noticed that the spectacled stranger seemed extremely depressed about something and, though he usually wasn't so forward, decided it might do to have him talk about it.
He closed his book and reached his hand over to shake that of the other man. "I'm Grand Duke Koushiro d'Izumi."
The other stared at Koushiro's hand for a moment before reaching over to shake it. "Sir Jyuu of the House of Kido." Then, as he released Koushiro's hand, he gave a small grin. "So, which kingdom are you from?"
Koushiro grinned back, glad to have gotten through to him. He patted the golden crest of Kamiya that was sewn onto the breast his tunic. "Kamiya. And you?"
"Tachikawa." The two were suddenly silent, as Jyuu tried to come up with something else to say. "I, uh... I really like the forests you have here in this kingdom. They're... very beautiful."
Koushiro chuckled quietly to himself. Whenever strangers came to visit Kamiya, they always seemed impressed with the luscious greenery. 'Everyone always comments on the forests.' He cleared his throat before speaking. "Yes, the royal family has always taken great pride in our land's forests." His thoughts were on his aunt and uncle, the former King and Queen, and his Cousin Hikari when he said this. But then his thoughts drifted to Crown Prince Taichi. "Most of them anyway."
Jyuu looked at Koushiro questioningly for a moment, before deciding to simply ignore his last comment. "So, um, do you come to the library often?"
Koushiro nodded vigorously. "It's just about the only place I can ever relax any more. The coronation thing has all of us advisors going a little crazy."
"Advisors? Are you one of Prince Taichi's advisors?" Jyuu asked, astounded. Koushiro nodded again and Jyuu was amazed. This Koushiro couldn't have been any older than 18 and yet he was already a Grand Duke, not to mention one of the future King's advisors. "How did you manage that? I mean, you're still just a... a..."
"A kid?" Koushiro finished for him. Jyuu nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, well, I was the Queen's ward before... she, uh, passed away. That tends to lead to some pretty powerful positions." Seeing the other boy's questioning look, he explained, "The Queen was my aunt."
"Ooohhh!" Jyuu replied understandingly. That explained everything.
Koushiro continued. "Yeah, so I've been the Grand Duke here since I was... about 13, I should say. It was my father's position, before he and my mother were killed."
Jyuu was on the verge of saying how very sorry he was to hear about his new friend's misfortune when the entrance of two young Tachikawan ladies ended their conversation.
Miyako spoke quietly to Mimi. "This is the library, my Princess."
Mimi thanked her just as she caught sight oh Jyuu seated beside Koushiro. "You!" she yelled, in a very un-ladylike fashion as she slowly approached him. "You... you... how-when-what were you..."
Koushiro noticed that this was obviously the beginning of an argument that may very well end all arguments and had the decency to interrupt. "Princess Mimi!" he exclaimed, trying to draw her attention away from Sir Jyuu. "How very wonderful it is to see you again!"
"Oh!" she exclaimed, noticing Koushiro for the first time, "Grand Duke d'Izumi! It is a pleasure to see you as well!"
Koushiro stood and gave a slight bow and kissed her hand. "I trust you are having a good day, Princess?"
"Oh, yes, it's been a FINE day," she replied, trying to be polite, even if she was lying through her teeth. "But, I'm afraid, my dear Grand Duke, that you'll have to excuse my rudeness, for I really MUST have a word with Sir Jyuu." She glanced over at Jyuu; her glaring eyes were filled with fire and rage.
Jyuu knew well enough to be afraid. He sent Koushiro a pleading look, but the Grand Duke could only shrug hopelessly. Throwing a look at Miyako, still by the doorway, he saw that she was staring intently at her shoes and would be of no help either. Mimi approached him slowly. "Now, Sir Jyuu, if you could come with me for a moment? I'd like to speak to you about something QUITE important."
She did not give him a chance to answer as she grabbed hold of his arm and dragged him out into the corridor, leaving Koushiro and Lady Miyako alone in the library.
Miyako looked up from her shoes and the two looked at each other for a moment, trying to remember the other's name. Miyako knew Koushiro was a Kamiyan Grand Duke and Koushiro knew that Miyako was Mimi's lady-in-waiting, but that was as far as it went.
"So, uh," Koushiro started awkwardly after a moment of silence, "Nice weather we're having, isn't it?"
**
"Yamato, what's it like to be in love?"
Yamato dropped his sword when Takeru asked him this. "In love?" he asked, overwhelmed by the sudden and complete change of subject. "What do you want to know about love for?" Takeru shrugged trying to keep the red from spreading across his face.
Up until a moment ago, the two of them had been having a sparring match; Yamato's sword against Takeru's staff, and Takeru had obviously been winning. But then, right in the midst of their conversation of fighting techniques, nobles that Yamato felt about ready to exile from Ishida and sarcastic comments back and forth about the other letting his defense slip, Takeru had asked THAT question.
Yamato grinned at his younger brother. "This is about Princess Hikari isn't it?" he asked, watching Takeru redden even more. "What were the two of you doing on that walk of yours', anyway?"
"Nothing!" Takeru answered, a bit too quickly. Yamato could tell he was lying.
"What, did you ask her to marry you or something?"
Takeru coughed, trying not to laugh and not to blush at the same time. "Hardly."
Yamato then shrugged and picked up his sword. "Then what are you asking me for? I don't know anything about love. Just marriage."
Takeru stopped cough-laughing. "Marriage? What do you know about marriage?"
His brother gave him an unpleasant look. "I know how much it can scare you when it's Daisuke's sister your advisors are trying to get you to marry." Takeru burst out laughing.
**
"Make sure your forearm is positioned properly, your highness... yes, that's it. Now move it back- keep it steady, highness. And release! Excellent, my princess!" Lord Demensa exclaimed as Hikari's arrow struck the bulls-eye on the target before her. It was the time of her afternoon archery lesson and the Princess was, yet again, excelling at the sport.
"You do certainly seem to have a knack for this, don't you, your highness?" Lord Demensa, her archery teacher, said pleasantly as the princess rotated her wrist and wiped her fingers on the pale blue tunic she used for her lessons, preparing to continue. Demensa saw this and smiled.
"I believe that we can end this lesson for the day, my Princess. As a matter of fact we could probably end these lessons all together, if you wish it so." He raised his hand, ignoring her protests, before explaining. "Your skills probably surpass my own already, there isn't much point left in my teaching you any further. Now, milady, feel free to return to the castle."
Hikari looked at the ground the entire walk back. It was true, what Demensa had said. She did seem to have an extraordinary talent with a bow and arrow. It was strange that she'd never noticed it before or that she'd never had any urge to try it. At least, not until she'd found that gold and diamond arrow in the library shelf.
Hikari had never used that arrow before, afraid of damaging it. She almost felt as if she was saving it for something. Something important. But she had no clue what that "something" might be. She was probably just being stupid about the whole thing, but she couldn't help the feeling of foreboding she'd get whenever she looked at the arrow.
Happy shouting from across the lawn drew her attention away from her thoughts. Two people sparring. Hikari didn't need to see their faces to know who they were; the blonde hair and green tunics was too much of a give away. Smiling, she ran towards to two Ishida royals, strapping her bow back on her back, so she could watch their fight.
Takeru caught sight of the Princess' approach and smiled to himself, remembering their kiss in the gardens. Yamato saw Takeru's attention flicker and took the opportunity to slash at his shoulder, but he ducked, just in the nick of time. He then swung his staff under his brother's legs, making him fall on his face. Yamato gave Takeru a dirty look, but Takeru didn't seem to care as he helped his brother back to his feet.
Hikari watched and giggled when Yamato feel over. It wasn't often you got to see the King of a powerful country like Ishida fall flat on his face. But, as Takeru helped him stand again, Hikari caught a glimpse of Takeru's staff. It was gold, with a knob and tip of diamond. She blinked, surprised, and did a double take. It was definitely made of gold and diamond. 'Just like my arrow.'
Takeru approached Hikari while Yamato brushed the dust and dirt off his front. "Hello Kari," he said pleasantly, happy she was there. "How have-"
"Takeru," she interrupted suddenly. "Where did you get that..." But the Princess' question trailed off as she looked over Takeru's shoulder, at the courtyard. He followed her gaze and saw that at least a dozen black stallions, two by two, pulling an elegant black carriage, had just entered the gates.
* * * * * *
Author's notes: I'm sorry to say it, after going so long without posting, but the next chapter probably won't be up for a while. Exams are next week, I am having the hardest time studying and I'm moving (again) as soon as school's out. It's a complicated time. Give me a couple weeks and I promise I'll have the last few chapters for you.
Oh, BTW. You people gave me over a hundred reviews! I'm so happy! Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU! Anyhow, ^_^ and Toodles!
