Author's notes: I finally decided that I would get back down to business & force myself back into my writing groove. I'm very sorry that this story took so long to post, but I promise that the next chapters will be up a lot sooner than this one was. And, just to let you know, I'm going to try and aim for 16 chapters & maybe an epilogue. Now enjoy!
The Arrow, the Staff &the Shield
Part 14
By Android Eleven
At about the same time, back inside the castle, Prince Taichi had insisted on taking King Ken on a personal tour of the Kamiyan palace and the two were nearing the conclusion of their journey. "It was very kind of you to take the time out of your busy schedule to do this for me," Ken said pleasantly as the two young men walked past the fencing room.
Taichi waved his hand dismissively. "You took the time to come here to attend my coronation ceremony, why shouldn't I return the favor?" Ken smiled in agreement.
At the beginning of the afternoon Taichi had been very unsettled around Ken. There was something about the boy that made him uncomfortable, though he wasn't sure what it was. And the lingering feeling of guilt over not sending him an invitation that was nagging at the back of his mind wasn't helping either. But once the two of them started talking, that feeling had slowly dissipated.
Ken Ichijouji turned out to be a very good conversationalist. He had a hypnotic voice, one that made you comfortable while listening to it. They spoke of many things, from fencing techniques and playing sports to the pressures of an upcoming coronation (for Taichi's was now only three days away). For the first time in a long while, Taichi felt like a boy his age actually understood some of the things he was going through.
But, back near the fencing room Ken had grown suddenly quiet, drawing Taichi's attention. "Is something the matter, your Majesty?" Taichi asked him hesitantly.
"Hmm?" Ken looked up from his thoughts to face him. "Oh, no, there's nothing wrong. Well, probably not, I wouldn't be the one to know..."
Taichi gave him a questioning look as he trailed off. "You wouldn't be the one to know what?" Seeing Ken about to brush it off as nothing, Taichi interrupted him. "No, really. What are you talking about?"
Furrowing his brow in thought, Ken took a few moments before he finally responded. "Well, Prince Taichi, as I've said, it's probably just my imagination. But if you must know, I was just thinking about your kingdom's relationship with Ishida and Tachikawa. It just strikes me as extremely curious that you Kamiyans have been able to retain such a sense of friendship with Tachikawa's royal family and those two Ishida brothers when all of your respective kingdoms have been at war with each other for such a great deal of time.
"I mean, don't take this the wrong way! I'm simply stating how bizarre the situation seems. I know, from talking to you, that you're a naturally friendly person and that you, yourself, have true intentions to bring peace to this land. But how can you be so certain that the others are after the same thing?"
For a moment neither boy said a word. Ken was fidgeting slightly, looking slightly embarrassed at his own boldness. But Taichi was studying the boy and repeating his words over again in his head. Strange as it may have seemed, he had never thought of his situation in that light before. Ken did have a point, an exceptionally good one at that; the three kingdom's rulers did seem to get along unnaturally well. They had been at war with each other for a very long time, one would think that there would have been at least a little hostility. But there hadn't been.
And, as strange as it may seem, Taichi hadn't realized it until then.
"Hmm..." he said quietly, suddenly uneasy. Ken suddenly looked up once again with an apologetic look on his face.
"I apologize, Prince Taichi. It has not been my place to express such unjustified accusations. The Tachikawa and Ishida royals are probably just as sincere about their wishes for peace as you and I am sorry for speaking against them in such a way."
But Taichi only half heard his words and so he said nothing. 'If they ARE plotting against me,' he realized, extremely unhappily, 'they couldn't have done a better job of it. Prince Takeru becoming such a good... "friend" of Hikari's... and Baron Daisuke also for that matter. Princess Mimi and Sora being friends. And even Koushiro has mentioned finding a kindred spirit in that Sir Kido person who always seems so familiar. They've befriended all those who are the closest to me, if they wanted to make a move against me they couldn't possibly have it any easier.'
After waiting a while for Prince Taichi to say something and then realizing he wasn't going to, Ken decided it was time to end his little tour. "Prince Taichi?"
Finally pulling himself away from his paranoid realizations, Taichi looked up at King Ken and blinked, as though he was surprised to see that Ken was still there. "I believe, Prince Taichi, that it is time for me to retire to my room," Ken said quietly.
Taichi merely nodded. "Have a good night's sleep then, your Majesty."
Ken smiled faintly at him. "I'll try my best."
Taichi nodded again and slowly started back down the corridor, still deeply immersed in his thoughts. As he disappeared around a corner a distance down the hallway, Ken's smile slowly turned into an arrogant smirk.
"I'll try my best."
* * * * *
"My staff? Why do you want to know?"
Hikari replied, looking anxious. "I'll tell you why as soon as you tell me where you got it."
Takeru studied her face for a moment, fidgeting nervously. Her crimson eyes seemed as though they were penetrating deep into his very being and he figured that there wasn't much use in lying. She'd see through him in an instant.
"I, uh, I kinda found it." He shifted from one foot to the other as he said this, obviously uncomfortable with the conversation. Hikari noted this, but continued her interrogation.
"Where?" She demanded, grabbing his arms and staring at him intensely. "Where did you find it?"
It was now impossible for Takeru to avoid looking at her, which made him more uncomfortable than ever. "Someplace back home. What does it matter? It's just a staff, it shouldn't mean anything to you."
Instead of giving him an answer like Takeru had been hoping for, the princess merely released his arms and started to pace. The Ishida Prince gazed at her for a moment, with her long brown hair fluttering around her back and shoulders in the slight breeze, and wondered desperately what she was thinking.
After a few uncomfortable minutes of silence Takeru finally realized that if the two of them didn't return to the castle shortly people would probably start to worry about them. "Hikari," he whispered gently, "I think we should probably return to the palace. People will soon begin to wonder what's become of us."
Hikari barely acknowledged him, simply murmuring, "Uh huh," and turning her face up to the heavens, as though she was studying the constellations. Then she turned abruptly to Takeru, took his arm and began to walk back to the castle dragging the surprised prince along with her.
Once they were back inside Hikari absent-mindedly gave Takeru a kiss on the cheek and turned to leave. But then she paused and turned back to her companion. "Do you really wish to know why your staff is so important to me?"
Takeru nodded, trying to hide his exasperation.
"Alright. Meet me right here, in this very spot, tomorrow morning at 10. I'll explain it all then."
* * * * *
Author's notes: Again, I'm sorry this took so long, but, like I said, I've been really busy and Fanfiction.net's fix-it-upper days aren't exactly helping me get this to you any sooner. Oh well. At least I'm starting to get back into my old routine again.
Anyway, about the story: 1) Part 15 will be up a LOT sooner than the last couple chapters have been. Well, I hope so anyway. The next one's going to be LONG. 2) Part 15 (or maybe 16, I'm not sure yet) should have a bit of an explanation about the whole arrow, staff and shield thing. Yeh! And 3) The next part will explain why Joe's name seems so familiar to everybody. Anyone who can guess gets a gold star!
Anyway, next part soon (I hope) and Toodles! ^_^
