Knights Rivalry by Crimson Scorpion
Disclaimer: I do not own Suikoden III…
A/N: hey! Sorry it took me quite awhile to update I was just really busy with school work… But I managed to finish this chapter… I hope it's still good… please don't forget to review ok? And there is a part here where Percival is sitting in a garden. The garden is just something I added in the castle…
Chapter IV: Confusion
She must escape from this horrid situation. Yes it's the only way to save face… but what if the woman stabs her when she turns her back? Ayame glanced at Chris who was looking fierce and impatient at the same time.
"I said what are you doing in here?" Chris asked in a more forceful tone.
No time to contemplate. Ayame grabbed 3 shurikens from her suit and threw it one by one in Chris' direction. Chris dodged the flying shurikens easily but it gave Ayame the time she needed to escape. Ayame quickly jumped towards the window and disappeared into the night.
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"Damn it!" Chris cursed herself. She had let the intruder escape and she didn't even get a good look who it was. Chris picked up the fallen shurikens from the floor and examined it, she would find out who it was first thing in the morning.
Chris plopped down on her bed in exhaustion and felt something hard on her back. Slowly Chris reached behind her and was surprised to see an elegant case with gold engravings… Chris sat up from her lying position and stared at it with curiosity. Was this intended for her? She remembered the intruder and realized that this was probably what that person was doing in her room. Chris shrugged and decided to open the case.
(Chris gasped)
Chris touched the glimmering teardrop pendant with it's beautiful lavender stones. Who could have possibly given this to her? It was utterly beautiful… Chris raised the pendant with it's strand to admire it but a small piece of paper stuffed in the cushion of the case caught her eye.
Chris opened the paper and read the note inside.
The lavender stones reminded me of your eyes…
I hope you liked it milady…
Chris blushed a little and frowned when she finished the letter. Milady? Only few people call her that here in Budehuc castle… The rest of the six mighty Zexen knights address her as milady and as for the other people in the castle they address her as Lady Chris or just Chris…
Chris looked at the pendant again and felt a surge of realization as who might have possibly given her the pendant… Percival?... after all he did ask her to accompany him in Iksay earlier that day and he caught a glimpse of the single tear that she shed when he had asked her about her interest in knighthood… It all somehow made sense…
"Goddess! How could this have happened? Is this really inevitable?" Chris sighed unsure of how she should react to this. She would have to deal with it tomorrow…
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the next morning…
Percival was sitting near the ocean in front of Mamie's shop eating breakfast. A half eaten Barbeque meat bun and a pot of tea lay on his table as he stared into the ocean when suddenly his eye was caught by something silvery passing him towards the direction of the dungeon. Quickly Percival stumbled from his chair and called Lady Chris.
"Lady Chris!" Percival greeted his captain as he caught up with her.
Chris froze when she looked to see who had called her; she just stood there as Percival smiled at her waiting for her response. She thought she'd be able to deal with this today but she had thought wrong.
What does he want me to say? Should I tell him I liked the necklace? No! that would feel too awkward! I think I'm about to pass out… Goddess please save me! I don't know what to do!
Percival looked at Lady Chris as she continued to stand there frozen in place.
"Milady? Are you alright?" Percival's perfect brow was furrowed with concern.
Chris' ears cringed at the word 'milady' remembering the note he had written. Chris attempted to speak as she opened her mouth but no sound came out.
Percival lightly touched Chris' shoulder hoping it would help her remember where she was… she looked really pale and weak…
Chris felt her knees buckle as Percival's hand came in contact with her shoulder… What is this? Why am I suddenly feeling uncomfortable around Percival? Damn it… it must be because of that necklace…
"I- I--- I have to go… I must attend to something…" Chris finally managed to say.
Percival's brow was still furrowed with concern as he withdrew his hand from her shoulder.
"Are you sure milady? I could escort you to wherever you are headed now…"
Chris felt the strength coming back in her legs as Percival's hand was lifted from her and nodded at Percival.
"No… no I can manage by myself… I must go now time is fleeting…" Chris gave Percival a small smile and dragged herself inside the dungeon.
Percival stood where he was a deep frown creasing his features as he watched Chris go inside the castle. He didn't know what was happening with Lady Chris… and it was really bothering him…
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Borus' eyes were bulging with disbelief as the ninja reported to him about her delivery last night.
"You had yourself caught by Lady Chris last night!"
"But I managed to escape when I threw my shurikens at her so don't worry!"
What Ayame just said made Borus angrier.
"You ATTACKED her!" Borus voice became louder and louder with each word he spoke.
"I had to escape you do unde---"
"HOW DARE YOU!" Borus had unsheathed his sword out of rage.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing!"
"I warned you didn't I? if you failed you're as good as dead."
"Failed? Excuse me but I managed to deliver your package! And if you give me as much as a small scratch I'll let Chris know that the package was from you!"
Ayame smiled to herself in satisfaction as Borus cursed under his breath and resheathed his sword.
"Fine. I have no more business with you… but if my identity is revealed… my sword… in your throat!"
Ayame shrugged and left Borus who was seething there near the elevator.
Borus decided to let the ninja go and headed to the second basement. As Borus reached the bottom of the stairs he was greeted with the sight of Lady Chris talking to the detective kid and holding up three shurikens that he knew belonged to Ayame.
Oh no! She's having last night's attack investigated… and if they discover Ayame surely his name would be next to be revealed… He had to take action if he wished to avoid the confrontation that would happen once everyone finds out about this…
Before Borus could take a step to come back up the stairs Lady Chris had looked up in his direction… She smiled and motioned him to come towards her and the detective kid… He was trapped…
"Good morning Lady Chris… what brings you down here in the dungeons?" Borus asked casually.
Chris' smile turned into a frown as she told Borus of the incident last night.
"There was an intruder in my bedchamber last night and even dared to assault me with these shurikens… but I know that whoever it was didn't mean any harm…"
Borus' eyebrows shot up.
"How could you assume that milady? I meant that person did throw weapons at you!"
"Well… there was a package left to me on my bed… Oh do not fret Borus!" Chris smiled a little as he suddenly looked flushed. "The weapons were not aimed directly at me but more of a distraction…"
Borus nodded absent-mindedly as he felt himself sweat as Lady Chris mentioned the package.
"Uhhh… so Lady Chris… what is your purpose down here?" Borus asked nervously.
"Well I wish to find out who the intruder was last night although I already have assumptions… I mean I know only two possible people here to use a shuriken… but I want it confirmed by Kidd…"
Borus felt like someone threw a bucket of ice cold water at him… Of course! How could Ayame be so foolish? She used a shuriken which by the way only she and Watari have been seen using… Lady Chris was so close to the truth now…
"Milady… what about the package?..."
"Oh yes the package…" Chris looked trouble as she mentioned the package.
Borus wondered if she knew that it was from him that's why she looked suddenly troubled by it.
"Well… I also have an assumption on who it might be… truth is… I feel quite sure about it…"
"What do you mean milady…?"
"Uhhh… I have to confirm it myself first…" Chris was now crimson red from blushing.
"I think I should do that now…"
Borus just looked at Lady Chris in silence waiting for her to bombard her with questions. But she didn't. Instead she waved at him goodbye and exited the dungeon.
Borus just stood there dumbfounded. Confirm who gave her the package? But I'm standing right here! Borus wondered who she thought gave her the necklace.
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Percival was sitting peacefully in the garden near the stables… The garden wasn't actually popular in the castle but it gave Percival the peace he needed at that moment. He just stared at the beautiful tulips, roses and dandelions growing all over the place… He could also hear the humming of birds above a tree near the bench he was sitting on.
Percival closed his eyes savoring the solitude he is experiencing when he suddenly felt someone take a seat beside him. Percival slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to see who his companion was.
It was Lady Chris.
"Milady! What brings you here?" Percival sat up abruptly from his slouching position on the wooden bench.
Chris fumbled with her hands on her lap unsure what to tell Percival why she is there in the garden. She could feel her heart beating ten times faster that it should be… Damn it! How could a simple token of appreciation affect her like this? She glanced at Percival's handsome profile as he continued to look at her with those concerned eyes…
Chris tore her eyes away from him feeling herself melt under his intense gaze…
"I… I wish to- -"
Before Chris could even finish her sentence Percival softly cupped her face with his hands and kissed her. Chris was too shocked to react to what was happening to her. Percival's soft lips on her own distracted her greatly… She knew she should push him away… but her body made no move to resist his touch and his kiss…
Percival had never felt so contented in his entire life… He had longed to do this everytime he was alone with Lady Chris… This moment seemed perfect… He wasn't able to stop himself from kissing Lady Chris when she looked at him like that… But he knew he should end the kiss now before Chris could react to what he was doing…
As Percival ended the kiss he let his hands drop from Chris' porcelain face… and looked at her lavender eyes that were wide with shock… Percival decided he had to apologize for his indecent behavior towards her…
"Milady I apologize fo---"
Percival was suddenly surprised when Lady Chris pressed her lips to him… He felt like he was the happiest man alive…
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Borus was doing his rounds outside the castle and was almost finished when he was distracted by a couple in the garden. Borus wasn't able to get a good look who the couple was and decided to come closer to see who it was.
As Borus came nearer at the pair and he wished he hadn't…
Borus hoped that his eyes were deceiving him… He felt his heart being gripped tightly threatening to suffocate him… He watched with grief as the person he had loved more than his life… held in his rival's embrace… At that moment Borus felt his heart shattered into a million pieces… death was better then to feel this numbing pain…
The truth dawned to Borus… He had lost… He had lost the person that mattered most to him… He had lost Lady Chris to Percival…
End of chapter IV…
A/N: well that's it guys! I promise to update sooner… here is a few questions, Did Chris' reaction towards Percival's kiss caused by the necklace which was originally given by Borus? Will Chris' feelings change if she found out Borus gave it to her? What will Borus do about this heart shattering discovery of his loss? Hehe… well those stuff would be answered in the upcoming chapters…