Chapter 15
Okay, here's the newest chapter.
Ryou: Go ahead. Bakura and I took care of Yami.
(Yami is tied up, with duct tape still on his mouth)
(Glomps Ryou and Bakura) Arigatou! Now, on with the fic!
Chapter 15:
After the parade, I slipped away from the chaos of the celebrations unnoticed, wanting only to be alone for a little while. Something had been bothering me since this morning, and I had the strangest feeling all of a sudden that things were only just beginning. I shook my head as I wandered down one of the more hidden paths of the palace gardens until I ended up back at the same stream that I had been standing in the night before.
With a sigh, I dropped to my knees at the very edge of the stream. Again that sense of peace flooded over me despite my sudden nervousness, so I closed my eyes and let myself drift so to speak.
Suddenly I sensed another presence close by. I ignored it at first, hoping that whoever it was would go away and not bother me, but they didn't leave and my curiousity had started to get the better of me. I opened my eyes and turned around. The figure who was standing less than ten feet away from me with his back facing my direction made my blood run ice cold.
It was Chancellor Palpatine.
I stifled a gasp and stood up as quietly and quickly as I could, relieved that he obviously had not taken any notice of me yet. I ducked behind some thick foliage, watching him from between the branches of the flower bush that I had chosen to hide behind. I had to get out of there, and fast. I glanced around desperately, searching for an escape route that would lead me back to the palace unnoticed.
A moment later, I finally found what I was looking for, a path off to the left that was almost completely under the cover of the surrounding foliage. I was just about to make a run for it when Palpatine started to speak, freezing me in my tracks.
"Well, well. It would appear as though I'm not alone out here. Come on out, my dear girl. I won't harm you," he said with false reassurance.
I wasn't about to buy into it. I shrank back further into the shadows as I heard his footsteps coming closer and closer to my hiding place. I glanced back at my escape path desperately. If I was going to run, it would have to be now or never, but I couldn't move. I was totally frozen to the spot. It was as if he had me trapped in an invisible spider web.
Suddenly he reached into the bushes and grabbed my arm. I screamed shrilly in fear as I was pulled roughly out of my concealment and out into the open. I struggled wildly, twisting and thrashing in his hold as I tried desperately to pull away from him, but I couldn't. His grip was far too strong.
"Let go of me, you murderer!" I shouted. "Qui-Gon! Someone! Anyone! Please, if you can hear me! Help me!"
"Shut up, little one," he hissed, tightening his grip on me to the point of being painful and holding me against him so I couldn't escape. I shivered as those eyes bored into mine and stared stubbornly at the ground. "So, you're the one who interfered with my plans. You and that meddling friend of yours. Well, no matter. I should destroy you now, but I think I'll keep you around for a while longer, my dear. You seem to have some knowledge of the future. You may yet be of some use to me. A fiery spirit like you will make an excellent replacement for that worthless idiot Darth Maul," he sneered, grabbing my face roughly with his other hand and forcing to meet his icy gaze.
"I'll never join you!" I spat defiantly.
I waited until his face was only a few inches away from mine. Then I reached up with my free hand and scratched him just below his eye, hard enough to draw blood. He yelled in pain and his grip on me loosened just ever so slightly, but he didn't let go of me. I hissed in frustration and kicked him in the groin as hard as I could. This time he did let go of me, doubling over in agony.
Seeing my only chance to get away from him, I bolted. I ran back along the hidden path that I had found when I was hiding in the bushes as fast as I could, high-tailing it back towards the palace. I didn't stop running until I had reached the safety of the suite that I shared with Casey and the guys and was inside with the door shut behind me.
I collapsed back against the door, letting out a sigh of relief. I was safe for now, but I had to do something. I had to tell somebody about what had just happened out there, but who? I didn't know if anybody would even believe me, but as hard as Palpatine had gripped my arm and my face, I was sure that I had the bruises to prove that I was not lying about the entire ordeal.
Just then I glanced up and saw Qui-Gon standing in front of me, his blue eyes filled with concern. Relieved, I practically flew into his arms, shaking like a leaf in the wind and crying almost hysterically as he held me in his arms. I buried my face in his chest, trembling wildly.
"Layla? Are you all right? What happened, angel?" he asked.
I shook my head. "No, I'm not all right. Palpatine attacked me, out in the courtyard. He's the one who sent Darth Maul to kill you and Obi-Wan. Please, you have to believe me," I explained, on the verge of hysterics.
"The Chancellor attacked you?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Yes," I answered. "We're all in danger. Please, believe me!"
"Shh, it's all right. I believe you." That was when he seemed to take notice of my bruises. "Where did those bruises come from? Did he give you those, too?"
I nodded, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. "Yeah, he grabbed me when I was hiding in some bushes," I replied.
Suddenly I heard the door open and almost jumped through the ceiling. I looked back over my shoulder and relaxed a little bit when I realized that it was only Casey and Obi-Wan.
"Don't ever sneak up on me like that again, okay?" I said, pulling away from Qui-Gon just ever so slightly.
"Oh my God, Layla. What happened to you?" Casey asked.
"I was out in the courtyard and Palpatine attacked me," I explained, moving to sit down on the couch.
"He attacked you? What reason could he possibly have...?" Obi-Wan started, shocked.
I merely buried my face in my hands for a moment, then looked up at him, my honey eyes haunted. "Because he knows that we-that Casey and I-know who he really is and that he was the one who sent Darth Maul to kill you and capture the Queen. He's after me now because he wants me to replace Maul as his new apprentice," I replied, my voice barely more than the mere ghost of a whisper now.
"That's impossible. Isn't it?" Obi-Wan said, glancing over at Qui-Gon.
Casey glared at him and smacked him on the arm. "Shut up, Kenobi," she said irritably.
"Don't you see it? He's a Sith. This whole 'noble politician' charade of his is nothing more than that. It's just an act to cover up his real scheme. The longer he's allowed to continue it, the more powerful he'll become. If he becomes too powerful, it will be the end of us, the end of the Jedi, and the end of peace in the galaxy. He'll destroy everything," I answered, my tone becoming urgent now.
To Be Continued....okay, this part was a little longer, and chapter 16 will probably be a little longer in coming, because I have yet to write it. But I promise I'll try not to take too long. (Ignores doubtful look from my muses) Old Palpy boy's secret is out and this will put Layla in more danger than she bargained for. You'll have to come back when I have the next part posted to see what happens. Please R&R and NO FLAMES. Ja ne, minna-san, until next time! ()
(Ryou and Bakura's Princess)
Okay, here's the newest chapter.
Ryou: Go ahead. Bakura and I took care of Yami.
(Yami is tied up, with duct tape still on his mouth)
(Glomps Ryou and Bakura) Arigatou! Now, on with the fic!
Chapter 15:
After the parade, I slipped away from the chaos of the celebrations unnoticed, wanting only to be alone for a little while. Something had been bothering me since this morning, and I had the strangest feeling all of a sudden that things were only just beginning. I shook my head as I wandered down one of the more hidden paths of the palace gardens until I ended up back at the same stream that I had been standing in the night before.
With a sigh, I dropped to my knees at the very edge of the stream. Again that sense of peace flooded over me despite my sudden nervousness, so I closed my eyes and let myself drift so to speak.
Suddenly I sensed another presence close by. I ignored it at first, hoping that whoever it was would go away and not bother me, but they didn't leave and my curiousity had started to get the better of me. I opened my eyes and turned around. The figure who was standing less than ten feet away from me with his back facing my direction made my blood run ice cold.
It was Chancellor Palpatine.
I stifled a gasp and stood up as quietly and quickly as I could, relieved that he obviously had not taken any notice of me yet. I ducked behind some thick foliage, watching him from between the branches of the flower bush that I had chosen to hide behind. I had to get out of there, and fast. I glanced around desperately, searching for an escape route that would lead me back to the palace unnoticed.
A moment later, I finally found what I was looking for, a path off to the left that was almost completely under the cover of the surrounding foliage. I was just about to make a run for it when Palpatine started to speak, freezing me in my tracks.
"Well, well. It would appear as though I'm not alone out here. Come on out, my dear girl. I won't harm you," he said with false reassurance.
I wasn't about to buy into it. I shrank back further into the shadows as I heard his footsteps coming closer and closer to my hiding place. I glanced back at my escape path desperately. If I was going to run, it would have to be now or never, but I couldn't move. I was totally frozen to the spot. It was as if he had me trapped in an invisible spider web.
Suddenly he reached into the bushes and grabbed my arm. I screamed shrilly in fear as I was pulled roughly out of my concealment and out into the open. I struggled wildly, twisting and thrashing in his hold as I tried desperately to pull away from him, but I couldn't. His grip was far too strong.
"Let go of me, you murderer!" I shouted. "Qui-Gon! Someone! Anyone! Please, if you can hear me! Help me!"
"Shut up, little one," he hissed, tightening his grip on me to the point of being painful and holding me against him so I couldn't escape. I shivered as those eyes bored into mine and stared stubbornly at the ground. "So, you're the one who interfered with my plans. You and that meddling friend of yours. Well, no matter. I should destroy you now, but I think I'll keep you around for a while longer, my dear. You seem to have some knowledge of the future. You may yet be of some use to me. A fiery spirit like you will make an excellent replacement for that worthless idiot Darth Maul," he sneered, grabbing my face roughly with his other hand and forcing to meet his icy gaze.
"I'll never join you!" I spat defiantly.
I waited until his face was only a few inches away from mine. Then I reached up with my free hand and scratched him just below his eye, hard enough to draw blood. He yelled in pain and his grip on me loosened just ever so slightly, but he didn't let go of me. I hissed in frustration and kicked him in the groin as hard as I could. This time he did let go of me, doubling over in agony.
Seeing my only chance to get away from him, I bolted. I ran back along the hidden path that I had found when I was hiding in the bushes as fast as I could, high-tailing it back towards the palace. I didn't stop running until I had reached the safety of the suite that I shared with Casey and the guys and was inside with the door shut behind me.
I collapsed back against the door, letting out a sigh of relief. I was safe for now, but I had to do something. I had to tell somebody about what had just happened out there, but who? I didn't know if anybody would even believe me, but as hard as Palpatine had gripped my arm and my face, I was sure that I had the bruises to prove that I was not lying about the entire ordeal.
Just then I glanced up and saw Qui-Gon standing in front of me, his blue eyes filled with concern. Relieved, I practically flew into his arms, shaking like a leaf in the wind and crying almost hysterically as he held me in his arms. I buried my face in his chest, trembling wildly.
"Layla? Are you all right? What happened, angel?" he asked.
I shook my head. "No, I'm not all right. Palpatine attacked me, out in the courtyard. He's the one who sent Darth Maul to kill you and Obi-Wan. Please, you have to believe me," I explained, on the verge of hysterics.
"The Chancellor attacked you?" Qui-Gon asked.
"Yes," I answered. "We're all in danger. Please, believe me!"
"Shh, it's all right. I believe you." That was when he seemed to take notice of my bruises. "Where did those bruises come from? Did he give you those, too?"
I nodded, looking up at him with tear-filled eyes. "Yeah, he grabbed me when I was hiding in some bushes," I replied.
Suddenly I heard the door open and almost jumped through the ceiling. I looked back over my shoulder and relaxed a little bit when I realized that it was only Casey and Obi-Wan.
"Don't ever sneak up on me like that again, okay?" I said, pulling away from Qui-Gon just ever so slightly.
"Oh my God, Layla. What happened to you?" Casey asked.
"I was out in the courtyard and Palpatine attacked me," I explained, moving to sit down on the couch.
"He attacked you? What reason could he possibly have...?" Obi-Wan started, shocked.
I merely buried my face in my hands for a moment, then looked up at him, my honey eyes haunted. "Because he knows that we-that Casey and I-know who he really is and that he was the one who sent Darth Maul to kill you and capture the Queen. He's after me now because he wants me to replace Maul as his new apprentice," I replied, my voice barely more than the mere ghost of a whisper now.
"That's impossible. Isn't it?" Obi-Wan said, glancing over at Qui-Gon.
Casey glared at him and smacked him on the arm. "Shut up, Kenobi," she said irritably.
"Don't you see it? He's a Sith. This whole 'noble politician' charade of his is nothing more than that. It's just an act to cover up his real scheme. The longer he's allowed to continue it, the more powerful he'll become. If he becomes too powerful, it will be the end of us, the end of the Jedi, and the end of peace in the galaxy. He'll destroy everything," I answered, my tone becoming urgent now.
To Be Continued....okay, this part was a little longer, and chapter 16 will probably be a little longer in coming, because I have yet to write it. But I promise I'll try not to take too long. (Ignores doubtful look from my muses) Old Palpy boy's secret is out and this will put Layla in more danger than she bargained for. You'll have to come back when I have the next part posted to see what happens. Please R&R and NO FLAMES. Ja ne, minna-san, until next time! ()
(Ryou and Bakura's Princess)