The Frog Swordsman
Part Eleven
By Maria Cline
Kaoru and Kenshin flew like the wind on Hiko's back as they went over the vast fields and forests. The woman couldn't help but feel awed by the view. She had never seen anything like it before in her life. As they flew through a flock of swans, Hiko glanced at his back. "What a wonderful view." She sighed as she watched everything.
"Yes, it is." Kenshin agreed as Kaoru held him to her chest to keep him warm.
"We'll be getting into Spinstera soon. I have to land or we'll be shot." Hiko said as he descended down to the field below.
After the two got off, Kaoru bowed to Hiko. "Thank you so much for the lift."
"Hey, no problem. Good luck in finding that golden thread and idiot apprentice make sure you find a way to get back to normal." Hiko said as he nodded toward the frog.
"Hai, Shishou." Kenshin replied.
The dragon flew off into the air in a massive gust of air. "I swear, he has a huge ego." Kaoru muttered as they walked towards the nearest town.
"He means well, Kaoru-dono."
"True. Oh well, let's go and find that thread." Kaoru said as they walked into the town. It was a massive place filled with spinning wheels, the streets were lined with flags with the spinning wheel in the middle, there were even vendors handing out tiny toy spinning wheels to kids. "Wow, Spinstera is big on spinning wheels. Someone here has to know something."
"Hai." Kenshin nodded as he hopped back into the pouch.
Kaoru looked around and then asked a group of spinsters who gathered around. They were spinning and she asked, "Excuse me, does any of you know anyone who can spin straw into gold?"
"Straw into gold?" A spinner replied, "Why yes. Such a talent is very rare, one of the rarest in the world. There is the queen who can spin straw into gold. But good luck trying to reach her. Ever since she married King Midanas, no one was allowed to speak to her, not even her own father."
Kaoru frowned. "King Midanas? Oh man, I can't believe this. Are there any others who could spin straw into gold?"
"None that I know of. The queen is the only one with such talent."
"Thank you." Kaoru bowed and then went another group. Unfortunately, they said the same thing.
"Only the queen can do such a feat but no one can speak to her even her father."
Several hours passed as Kaoru sat down at an inn to rest. Kenshin studied a map of Spinstera. "I'm beat. I must have spoken to every spinster in the kingdom. No one can spin straw into gold except for the queen."
"Stop talking about the queen!!!" The two looked up to see a young man drinking ale. The man held up a cup and said, "I knew the queen when she was just the miller's daughter. I loved her and she loved me. Yet… hic the father won't give me consent. I am just a farmer and he wanted my beloved to marry a royal man and lived happily ever after."
"Well, I'm sure she cares about you." Kaoru comforted.
"Ha! Hic She's miserable with that gold digger. No one can see her or even talk to her and not even her idiot father could get close to her." The man moaned as he laid his head on the table.
"And so you are going to lay there and get drunk?!" Kaoru yelled.
"No, I'm sitting and getting drunk. There's… hic a difference." The farmer sighed as he nursed his drink.
"What's your name?" Kenshin asked as he came out of the pouch.
The farmer blinked and looked at his drink. "That bartender musta put something in my drink. Now, I'm seeing a talking frog."
"Just answer the question please." Kenshin said feeling annoyed.
"Oh, well Mr. Frog, I'm Hans. My beloved's name is Archane. Such a lovely name. Archane. Archane." Hans passed out over the table and Kaoru shook her head.
"Poor guy. I wish we can help him. That's it, we're talking to Queen Archane." Kaoru said firmly. "I just need to get dressed."
Kaoru walked down the street after a quick change. Instead of her manly clothes, she was dressed in her finest outfit with Kenshin tucked away in her purse. At once, the other people bowed and curtseyed as she passed by. She nodded toward them while maintaining a high head. She hated looking like a royal woman but she had no choice. The only way she can get the gold thread she needed was to look like a royal woman again. She made her way to the guards and demanded in her most professional voice. "I demand to see King Midanas and Queen Archane at once."
"Do you have an appointment?"
"No, but tell them that Princess Kaoru needs to see them right away. If you don't, I will make you suffer." Kaoru said as she held out a bokken. The guards left except for one that was watching the princess. "That was easy."
"Well, if it isn't Kaoru the Exiled Princess." King Midanas said as he came up and bowed. He was tall with short blond hair and dark blue eyes. He was thin and covered in gold clothes. "Are you here to marry me? Forget it. I am married and have a son already."
"Congratulations on your marriage and son but I am not interested in that. I need to see Queen Archane about a matter most dire." Kaoru said civilly.
"My wife? Oh no. No one can see her except for me and my son. Not even my peasant of my father-in-law could see her." King Midanas said as he turned up his nose.
"But… my kingdom is at stake! I am not going to steal her away! I just need some gold thread that she spun from straw." Kaoru cried out.
"You are not going to touch my gold or my wife! Get out or I will throw you in the dungeon!" The king screamed.
"Oh fine." Kaoru pouted as she marched off out of the castle. "It was worth a try." She sighed as she went to a shack and changed out of her clothes and into her messenger outfit.
Carefully, Kenshin poked his head out of the purse and he said, "Kaoru-dono, perhaps I can sneak in and find the queen. They wouldn't look twice at a frog in the castle."
"Wait a second, that castle is huge and besides what if someone catches you?"
"Then, I am caught. If I don't talk, I look like any other frog. It is nothing to worry about. We don't know where else to turn." Kenshin replied as he smiled.
The woman nodded reluctantly. Kenshin was right. There was no one else she know of who could spin straw into gold. If they could get Hiko as a man again, he can help out a lot. "Okay, but be careful. The last thing I want in the world was for you to die before you can get back to normal. Just come back alive."
"I will." Kenshin bowed as he hopped into the moat. Kenshin swum in the moat and a giant crocodile appeared out of nowhere. The frog darted up and jumped out of the water. He hopped frantically and then the crocodile screamed in pain as a rock hit him. Kenshin looked up to see Kaoru holding rocks in her hand. "Thank you." He said as he dove back under water and hurried to the sewers.
Kenshin gazed around as he hopped out of the castle sewers through a drain. "That was disgusting." He muttered as he looked around at the huge building. Gears in his mind worked hard as he tried to think of a good way to find the queen.
"Grawl…" A huge guard dog growled as he came up to the frog.
Kenshin glared at the dog. The dog yipped and ran off. "Bad dog." He muttered as he went under the curtain.
A pair of servants stopped right by the frog and one of them said, "The queen has been most distracted lately. Everyone saw it even the wee baby. What do you suppose is the matter?"
"Who knows? She never spoke to anyone who was allowed in her room. She just sat there surrounded by books with long lists of peculiar names. Maybe she needs a vacation."
"From such splendor? Please. Let us just bring this to her majesty and the prince. Perhaps, this can help her with her appetite."
That was all the frog need to know. He hopped onto the cart and waited as the servants pushed the cart away.
It was quiet as usual as Queen Archane read over the lists of unusual names she saw in various books. There was a knock on the door. "Come in." Archane said as she looked up to see the servants with her and her baby's food.
"Here is your dinner." One of the servants said as they bowed.
The woman nodded her approval. The two left and Archane came up and got the bottle for the baby. "Here you go, Richard." She cooed as she fed the infant.
"That's right, can't have a baby go hungry."
The woman looked up to see a small man wearing bright clothes with a spindle on each wrist. "Hello, old man." Archane said as she glared at him.
"This is the second night. Ready?"
"Yes. Is your name, Aardvark?"
"Nope."
"Anderson."
"Nope."
Several hours later…
"Zukan?" Queen Archane coughed as she rubbed her throat.
"Nope and that's all for tonight." The funny little man said as he came up and bowed. "Remember, tomorrow night is the last night and I get that kid." He grinned as he hopped out of the only window in the room.
The woman collapsed onto the floor and whispered, "Damn it."
"Excuse me."
Archane looked around and then saw a frog hopping from the cart. "Great, it is another strange creature to take advantage of me. What do you want?"
"I… I am but a humble frog who was hoping to get some gold thread spun from straw to help out my master. You see, he needs to wear a magic cape and without it, he is stuck as a dragon." Kenshin quickly explained, "But, what is wrong? You seem sad for someone who is queen of a rich kingdom."
"Queen, yeah right. I'm not a queen. I'm a slave in a fancy castle." Archane sighed as she sat down and sat the frog on her lap. "I have no special gift of spinning straw into gold. That was a hair brained scheme of my father's to make me special to the king! I had to choose either death or marriage. Now, I wish I had chosen death." The woman closed her eyes as a tear came down her cheek.
"I'm sorry."
"You are the first… one to apologize to me like that with sincerity." Archane said as she smiled slightly.
"May I ask, how did you fool the king if you cannot spin straw into gold? Did that funny old man did it for you?"
"Yes. When the king found out about my 'talent' he locked me up in a tower and forced me to spin straw into gold. If I don't, I get killed. The first night, this man showed up out of nowhere and spun straw for me just for my necklace. I did my test and was the king impressed? No! He stuck me in a larger room with more straw and told me to spin it. The funny man came to my rescue and I had to give him my ring my dead mother gave me. So, he spun the straw and the king was impressed but he wasn't satisfied. So, he had me stuck in a huge room with a huge pile of straw and demanded that I spin the straw and get him gold. Finally, the funny man appeared and offered to trade my virginity for the gold. I had to put my foot down then. So, he settled for trading my first born child. I agreed since I didn't know if I ever get to have a kid. Anyway, the king forced me to marry him after that and now I will have to figure out the funny man's name or I will lose Richard forever!" Archane stopped and drank some water. "That felt so good to get that off of my chest."
Kenshin frowned. "Sounds like you had it hard. Perhaps, I can find out who the funny old man's name is and figure out a way for you to get out of this castle and back to Hans."
"Hans?" Archane jolted to her knees. "You spoke to Hans?"
"Hai. He misses you so much and it didn't sound like he cared about anything else but your safety. He was at the bar drinking because he missed you." Kenshin explained. "I… have friends who can help you and your son."
The queen stared at him. "And I suppose you want the gold that was spun from straw in return?"
"Yes, I would. It is for my master but I will not force you to give it to me." Kenshin said politely.
Archane gazed at him as she picked him up. Finally, she smiled. "The world would be much better off if there were more men like you. What is your name?"
"Kenshin."
"Kenshin, the meaning is 'Heart of the Sword'. How odd for a frog to have such a unique name."
Kenshin smiled slightly. "I'm… a unique frog. Say, I have a friend who could help you if she could get into your castle and see you."
"That will be hard. Only my personal servants and messengers can see me. I got it." Archane ran to her desk and started writing on some gold colored paper. "Here is a special order designating your friend as my personal messenger. With this, she can get in what is her name?"
"Kaoru… Kaoru Froog."
"Okay. How did you sneak in?" Archane asked.
"Through the moat and sewer system."
"I see. You can get out through the window and climbed down the wall from there." Archane said as she gave the frog a rolled up parchment. "Don't worry about getting it wet, it's enchanted waterproof paper."
The frog opened his mouth and carried the huge paper with him. He bowed and Archane said, "Remember, you only have until midnight tonight or I will lose Richard."
The frog nodded and the queen took him out of the window and dropped him. The frog landed onto the wall and then into the moat. He swum as hard as he could passed several unconscious crocodiles before a pair of familiar hands picked him up.
"Kenshin!" Kaoru exclaimed in relief. "Are you okay?"
The frog dropped the parchment into her lap. "Yes but things are more complicated than we thought."
"DAMN HIM!" Kaoru screamed as she paced through the woods. "I thought I had it hard. We have to get her out of that castle."
"Don't worry, we will. But first we have to make sure Archane-dono won't lose the baby."
"Right! We'll just look for the funny old man." Kaoru got out her golden ball necklace. "Please work. Golden Ball listen to my plea, show me where the funny old man who spun gold for the queen is and don't crash on me!"
The golden ball glowed and revealed a map of the town with a small old man icon flashing. "All right! There he is!"
After walking through the town, they came to a neighborhood where there were less spinning wheels and more women. Kaoru followed the map to a small tent where they entered to see a small old man surrounded by beautiful women with bunny ears on their heads.
"Hey there, Bunnies." The old man said as he grinned.
Kaoru looked down at Kenshin who nodded. He recognized the strange old man anywhere. The two went back out and Kaoru asked, "Now what? We have to find out the old man's name without raising suspicion."
"We can watch but there's little time. There is a way to get into the funny old man's graces but you will not like it." Kenshin observed as he saw the sun was in the afternoon sky.
"What is it?"
"Well, it's dangerous."
"I like danger."
"You will hate me for even suggesting it."
"I will never hate you."
"Well…"
Kaoru stood at the door dressed in a skin tight black bunny outfit with a pair of white ears on her head. As always, she has Kenshin in a pouch under her shoulder. "Damn you, Kenshin." She growled as she smiled sweetly and made her way to the funny old man.
The funny old man grinned as he held up some ale. "Well, I haven't seen a lovely lady like you before." Kaoru grinned her best smiled as she knelt down.
"No, I'm new here."
"Ah, such loveliness. Not much of a rack but you have nice eyes." The funny old man complimented as he came up and patted her knee. Kaoru couldn't help but notice how short the old man was. He reached only her thigh. She had seen many odd people in her life including a cold ninja prince, a sarcastic man dragon, and a frog assassin but she had never met anyone like this mysterious old man.
"Thank you." Kaoru said as she smiled. "I'm Kaoru, what's your name?"
"My name? You are very sweet to ask me my name. No one ever wanted to know my name before. It's Rumpelstiltskin but you can call me Rumpy."
"So… Rumpy, what do you do for fun?"
"Meeting lovely ladies like you." Rumpy said as he grinned. "You know, I am a man of many talents, a jack of all trades so to speak but I'm an expert clothes maker. Give me any material and I can turn it into thread."
The two talked for hours. "So, you're looking for an heir?" Kaoru asked interested.
"Yeah, I'm over three hundred years old. I'm getting up there in years. I have to find someone to pass my skills down to before I die. I found a potential candidate to be my heir. He's a little young but that's good. It gives him the ability to spin even better."
Kaoru bit her lip as she remembered the queen. From Kenshin told her, Archane was miserable and having a son brought up by a money grubbing miser would be awful for the boy. Rumpy was much nicer than the king and would make a wonderful father. Still, the poor boy would be away from his mother and he may never see her again. The woman shook her head. It was not her decision to make. "Damn it! I have to go! I promised a friend I would meet her soon."
"Okay. Have fun, Kaoru-chan." Rumpelstiltskin said as he waved. Kaoru ran off as her heart pounded. She changed into her messenger outfit and looked at the setting sun. She didn't have much time. As fast as her legs would allow it, she ran to the castle and nearly ran into the guard.
"Hold it. Papers?" The guard asked.
"Here." Kaoru held up the permission slip.
"Ah… Kaoru Froog. This way." The guard said as he gestured to the door.
Kaoru with Kenshin still in her bag ran up the stairs and into the room where Queen Archane was sitting. The woman got up and asked, "Who are you?"
"Kaoru, Kenshin told me all about you, your majesty." Kaoru said as she got out Kenshin.
The queen sighed in relief as she smiled. "Thank goodness. Hello, Kenshin-san. So, Kaoru-san, did you find out the odd man's name?"
"Yes, but things are… a little complicated. His name is Rumpelstiltskin and he was a pretty nice man for a pervert. He's planning to have your son as his apprentice to pass down all of his skills." Kaoru quickly explained.
Archane held her infant and smiled bitterly. "I see. At least for once, I have a real choice but what a choice. If I say his name, I can keep my son, he will be forced to grow up like his father but if I don't, I will never see him again. He will be a magical creature and he may be shunned for the rest of his life. What shall I do?"
"I don't know. This is your decision. No one can make this but you." Kaoru said firmly. "But, I do know that whatever happens, Kenshin and I will help you."
Archane smiled again. "You are very kind. Thank you. I have made up my mind. Richard deserves someone to care for him and to live a better life. While I am his mother, I cannot raise him in this prison. He should go with the funny old man and maybe one day I can see him again."
"Over my dead body!"
The group looked up to see King Midanas standing there infuriated. Archane stood up and stared at him. "So, you care about your son for a change?"
"He is the heir of the throne. I will not have Richard become a spinster."
"It's better for him to be a poor but good spinster than to be a rich but evil king." Archane growled as tensed up.
"You lied to me. You can't spin straw into gold?! I married a poor miller's daughter without an ounce of talent in her body." Midanas shook his head as he turned around.
"I didn't ask to be married. You forced me!" Archane yelled as she held the baby. "I've had it with being used by every man I meet! I am going to make my own decision and the first thing I want is a divorce!"
"Oh no you don't." Midanas shook his head. "You two aren't leaving me. Guards! Take these women away!"
The guards surrounded Kaoru and Archane as Midanas snatched the baby away. Kaoru cursed to herself as she held up her bokken.
"Oh come on. A lovely princess should not be playing with swords. Now, behave or the baby dies." Midanas said as the baby started to wail.
"NO!" Archane cried out as she held out her hand. "Leave Richard alone. We'll do as you say."
Kaoru reluctantly put down the bokken and held up her hands. "Damn you, Midanas. It's people like you that give royalty a bad name." She screamed as the guards tied her hands behind her back.
"I do what I have to. Let's see what kind of goodies the princess has." Midanas said as he picked up the pouch and opened it. "A nice pair of glass slippers." The king held up the items.
"Stop it." Kaoru growled.
"A gold ball necklace, is it true you can find anything?"
"My grandfather gave it to me! Give that back!"
"A whistle."
"No!"
The man ignored her and reached into pouch. "And then there's…" Midanas picked up a green frog. "A frog? Disgusting!" He tossed the frog to the guard who caught it. "Put this in a cage. Knowing Kaoru, this frog could be a magic wishing frog or something."
"He's not a magic frog! He's just a normal helpless frog that I adopted as a pet."
"Then, why do you care for it so much?"
"…"
"I thought so."
Rumpelstiltskin hopped out of his magic milk ladle and into the room where a cloaked figure was rocking the baby. "Hey, Babe! Time for the name game."
"Is your name Tom?"
"Nope."
"Is your name Jerry?"
"Nope."
"Is your name Rumpelstilskin?"
The old man gasped and he nodded. "Yeah, how about that. You knew my name. A deal is a deal, damn it, looks like I have to find another baby."
"I don't think so." The cloaked figure flung off his cloak to reveal the king. "Get him!!!"
Rumpy looked around to see the guards jumping on him and clasping his hands in iron chains. "Hey! What's the big idea?! This harassment on the elderly!"
"Oh no. I know your scheme." King Midanas said as he came up and clutched the man by the beard. "I have uses for you, little man."
Kenshin sulked as he sat in his glass cage. He hated being helpless with those depending on him. It was a feeling he hated ever since he was turned into a frog. The first few years passed quickly as Kenshin just sat in his lake content in ignorance. Then, he saw Kaoru. There was something about her that made her fascinating. She was a princess but she never acted like any princess he had seen before. She was strong and bold and yet gentle to the touch. That was why he wanted to meet her and talk to her. He wanted to be with her and help her out with her troubles. At first, he was content in being Kaoru's pet but as time passed he wanted to be more to her. He didn't know the depths of Kaoru's heart until she found out his blood stained past. She accepted it completely after the shock wore off and she promised him that she would find a way to get him back to normal.
After that moment, hope rose in his heart. He never thought that he would ever regain his human body before then. At night, he started to have dreams and fantasies about when he could eat like normal people and actually don't have to eat bugs so much. He also wanted to be able to protect Kaoru like he would have if he was normal. Unfortunately, there was nothing he can do now. He was trapped in a glass aquarium with a metal grate on top to let him breath but he couldn't get out. It was padlocked on the outside and well beyond his reach. His 'box' was in the dungeon in the same room as Kaoru as if to mock his predicament. She was only a few feet away with her arms and legs chained to each other and she was stuck in a kneeling position. Not once did she cry or show any signs of breaking down despite the danger they were in. Kenshin gazed at her and then at the guard. If only he could talk to her and to at least her know he was all right. Unfortunately, if his captors know about his abilities and past, he will be used. Then, he remembered something important. Lately, he had been speaking up on his own despite the curse. Was it possible that his curse was weakening? He never knows much about witches and curses. Maybe something happened to Rose Red that made the curse weaker or something else. He had to remember to find out, if he lived. Kenshin gazed at Kaoru again and focused inward. Carefully, he started to croak out well meaning ribbits and tried to comfort her that way.
Kaoru smiled at him. "Kenshin, you say the sweetest things."
Archane watched from her cage. She was trapped in a gold cage of all things. She was treated with much care since she was the queen but that was it. Ever since she was captured, she looked around for some chance to escape. "Kaoru-san, forgive me for dragging you and your pet into this mess."
"It's okay. We knew what we were getting into when we came here. I promise, we will get out of this place, all of us." Kaoru supported.
"Not yet." The three looked up to see King Midanas leading Rumpelstilskin who was chained up in iron. "Not until I get what I want. This little old man was the true spinner of gold. With him as my servant, Spinstera will be the richest kingdom in the world!"
"You idiot! I will never spin for you! Spinning straw into gold is a rare art for a reason! If everyone knows how to spin straw into gold, the economy will be in chaos! Gold will be worthless since it's only worth was its rarity. The only reason why I even spun straw from gold was because you were going to kill some innocent lady. Spinning straw into gold isn't even my best talent! I just do it once in a while to impress girls." Rumpelstilskin snapped.
"Rumpelstilskin…" Archane said in amazement.
"Heh, you knew my name. Looks like I can't get the kid now. Just call me 'Rumpy'." Rumpelstilskin blushed slightly.
"Oh shut up!" Midanas yelled as he grabbed the old man by the collar. "Spin the straw or you will die!"
"Die? Ha! I'm over three hundred years old. I've seen death a few times and even met her on occasion. You can't kill me anyway. What good am I dead?"
The king scowled at him. "Very well. If you don't do as I say, I will everyone here be executed. Starting with the frog." The man unlocked the cage and got out the frog. "Frogs are interesting creatures, small, creative, and very frail." Midanas came up to a box and pushed it to the side to reveal a pit of snakes. "Snakes just love frogs."
"NO!!!" Kaoru yelled as she pulled and tugged at her chains.
Rumpy stared at the frog. He knew that there was something odd about it. There was an aura of magic surrounding him that he could see. "Nope, I won't do it. I won't do anything to put your kingdom into ruin."
"Then, say goodbye to the frog." The king said as he get ready to toss the frog. Kenshin bit the man. Shocked, Midanas dropped him and Kenshin hopped frantically to Kaoru's side and tugged at the chains. He tried to unlock them but the chains were too big.
"Just escape, Kenshin. Save yourself."
"I cannot let another one die because of me." Kenshin urged as he studied the chains.
"Another one?"
"I… I can't stand the thought of losing you too. I hate being helpless!"
"Get him!" Midanas ordered as the guards unlocked the cage.
Kaoru fell down onto the ground and tilted toward her froggy friend. "I know. But remember, no matter what happens please remember that meeting you is the best thing that ever happened to me." With that, she gave Kenshin a quick kiss on the head.
Kenshin felt himself getting warm as King Medanas snatched the frog up. "Bad frog! You will regret it!" The man snarled as glared at him and then tossed him into the pit.
"KENSHIN!!!"
Time froze for the frog as he felt himself hurled into the pit. He can feel something within him unlock as he started to glow in an earily light. Unseen by anyone, a figure in white smiled and whispered, "The first lock has been broken."
An explosion of light came out of the pit and a figure leapt out. Everyone else gasped at the sight. Instead of a tiny frog, there was a five foot frog standing there breathing heavily. "You will pay." Kenshin growled as he walked for the first time in years toward the King.
"Oh my god." Archane gasped.
"Get him, you fools! He's only one frog." Medanas ordered. The guards nodded and rushed in with swinging swords. The frog dodged the swords, snatched Kaoru's bokken, and knocked everyone out in a matter of seconds. Kenshin paused when he saw he was cut.
"Ten against one and yet I got hurt. I am still not fighting all I have yet." Kenshin mused as he wiped the blood and licked it.
"What… are you?" Midanas gasped in horror.
Rumpy laughed as he grinned. "You picked the wrong frog to mess with. The second I lay my eyes on him, I knew he wasn't an ordinary frog. He wasn't even a typical frog prince. No, that look in his eyes, the aura of death around him, he was no ordinary man turned into a frog. He is a… frog assassin!"
"A frog assassin?!" Archane and Midanas exclaimed at once.
"Hai, I had killed many people and had gotten cursed because of it." Kenshin explained wearily as he came up to an unconscious guard and grabbed the keys. As the king watched, Kenshin unlocked Kaoru's chains and helped her up. "Kaoru-dono, are you all right?"
"Hai, you've… gotten big." Kaoru said in amazement as she looked at the frog in the eye.
"I know, it's thanks to you." The frog said as he handed her the keys. "Here, get our friends out and get your stuff back. I will be dealing with Midanas."
"Sure thing." Kaoru smirked as she ran up to Rumpy and unlocked his chains and then Archane's cage.
"Do-don't kill me please." Midanas pleaded, "I'll give you all the gold you want!"
"I'm a frog, I don't need gold." Kenshin said as he raised his bokken and whacked the man on the head. He fell over with his eyes closed.
"Is he…?" Archane asked as she came up.
"I cannot kill. He's unconscious and will be nursing a headache for the next few days but he'll be fine." Kenshin said softly.
"Well, we better go before the king wakes up." Rumpy said as he came up. "Just leave it to me."
"My baby, we still have to get my baby." Archane cried out.
"We'll get him." Kenshin said as they ran up the stairs and into the nursery where the baby was alone and crying.
"There there." The queen cooed as she held her child. "Mommy's here and everything will be all right."
Richard quieted down as the woman rocked him. "We better scram before-"
"Halt!"
The group looked to see a gang of guards standing in front of them. Kenshin stepped forward and Rumpy held up his hand. "Hold it right there, Frog Man, I'll take care of this." The dwarf rolled up his sleeves to reveal a pair of strange devices with a tube in the middle. "BATTABING!" He screamed as webs flew out of the devices and struck the guards. They wrapped around the guards and tied them together.
"Special spider silk webs. Got the recipe from a spider man." Rumpy explained as he grinned.
"That was weird but I'm used to it." Kaoru said as she and the others ran out through the castle and crossed the moat to see more guards surrounding them.
"Damn it. What can we do?" Archane asked.
"Looks like it's up to me." Rumpy said as he came up and yelled, "MAGIC LADLE COME TO ME!" From out of the sky, a giant white milk ladle flew down and hovered beside them. "Hop in!" The old man ordered as he jumped inside.
"Right." Kenshin helped Archane and her baby in first and then Kaoru. As he helped her in, Kenshin felt weak and shrunk down to a tiny frog again.
"Kenshin." Kaoru said as she held the frog in her hands, "You shrunk."
"I know." Kenshin looked down as the ladle flew up into the air.
"Where can we go to find some peace? We are going to be wanted people." Archane asked as the ladle soared through the air.
"Well, we can't go back to get Hans and your father. The king would be watching them. We have to go to another kingdom where we can get asylum and a divorce." Kenshin said as he looked out.
Rumpy smiled slightly. "Well… there's this kingdom where we can go. It's a magical kingdom where everyone lives to win a jackpot, where mages are entertainers and dreams come true. It's also the place where people get married and divorced every day. The bizarre are not so bizarre in that place. We can fit in easy."
"And where's that?" Kaoru asked.
"Sol Sagav!"
To Be Continued...
Hi! Thank you so much for the reviews! Anyway, there had been questions about Rose Red. I will say that she is a fairy tale character based on another fairy tale called 'Snow White and Rose Red'. I borrowed the character and tweaked her history so she could have been a part of 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs'. Thank you very much!