Complete summary: Princess Naoko knows her father is a horrible ruler, but no one suspected his selfish ways would end in her being kidnapped. Now traveling through her Kingdom Aralon, across wilderness into the enemy country Honrako, Naoko and her servant friend Suki soon learn that their kidnappers, the four bandits of Quentia, might not be so bad after all.
A/N: The climax chapter? Prince Takuya blackmails, the bandits break into the palace, and Naoko is dreaming about the stars (among other things).
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Arigatou
Chapter fifteen
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"He didn't!"
"I declare he did!"
"So what have you decided on?"
"Suki! Such a question as that! I of course told him I rather be his captive then his wife."
Suki laughed at this. "Oh, you are funny Naoko. From the first day, I was sure you had fallen in love with him. You spent everyday with him, and I hardly saw you at all. Until now though. But he is right; it has now been five days, and no sign of your father. It is so appalling staying in this palace and with these servant's clothes." She looked down at her very plain and shabby dress with disgust.
"Only know Suki that now I too am to have a miserable time. This morning no ladies came in to open my windows and wake me and bring me any news. I woke up to find a new dress on the side of the bed as usual but that is about it. It would seem it is now time for me to be alienated and so Takuya refuses to see me."
"All for the better though. These past days I have been left unattended, to wander the castle in search of something to do. Now we can be together and avoid the rest of these Honrakonese people."
"Princess Naoko." A deep voice called from the throne room doors, which were now opened.
"Yes your highness?" Naoko and Suki bowed as they saw the Prince enter their presence.
"May I have a word with you?" He asked though Naoko knew she had no choice.
With a tiresome look to Suki, the Princess walked into the throne room and Takuya shut the doors behind her.
"I have had sometime to think much over maiden, and do you know what conclusion I have come to?" The Prince began, as he paced the room before her.
"No sir, I do not."
"Ah, but you will." His grin was fierce. "You will be my wife, oh yes, you will."
"How so?" Naoko's voice had a trace of annoyance in it.
"How so, she asks!" Takuya laughed to himself. "You forget Princess, I have two hostages, not one."
Naoko's gaze suddenly shot to the doors, were she knew Suki was outside waiting for her.
"Yes, your servant girl. I've noticed that you've befriend her; foolish thing to do. Now I can use this is my benefit."
"What is it you plan?"
"You marry me, or the servant doesn't get out of here alive. Your father only cares about your life, not hers."
"You kill her, and I will take my life also. Then what will you have to give my father?"
The Prince stopped pacing and his eyes met hers. "You would give your life up for your servant? Am I really that horrid that you rather sacrifice your own life as well as your help, just as not to wed me?"
"If I were to marry you" Naoko began, doing some quick thinking, "would you let me keep my servant? I know it's custom for a princess to give up her ladies-in-waiting after marriage, but will you allow her to stay and be a permanent guest?"
"You mean, to free her of her servant's title, and let her stay here as your friend?"
"That's my conditions."
The prince smiled at this. "I suppose you wanted to marry me all along then. To give in so easily, just so that your servant lives, yes. You must have secretly decided on marrying me after all. We shall be happy in the end."
No, we won't, Naoko thought sulkily but didn't show it in her expression. She remained passive instead, and asked to be excused from the room.
"Certainly, my love." Takuya responded.
"And please, don't call me that, as we are not in love with each other." She added, exiting the room.
"And how did it go?" Suki asked moments later.
"I am to marry him." Naoko's shoulders sagged in defeat as her face turned to the ground.
"Marry him! But—why!"
Naoko looked up at her friend's soft, rounded-cheek face. Her cheerful colour had almost completely faded now.
"It is the only way I get out here alive." She lied. "But don't worry, I will learn to cope with it, he is not all bad."
- - -
"Look, the castle's there in the distance. You're sure we won't reach it until tomorrow?"
"Your highness, tomorrow when night falls we need to have ample sorts of energy and be fully focused in order to pull through with the plan. The only way for us to be that aware and prepared is to get plenty of rest tonight. Therefore, we stop tonight, and that means we don't reach the castle until tomorrow morning. If we were to keep on going and not stop for the night, by the time we get there we'd be exhausted." Ryo's tone held a hint of aggravation.
"Point made." Hiromi finally concurred, looking at the palace in the distance with some impatience.
It wasn't long before the sun set below their feet, and the moon hung gracefully above their heads. After more details were brought to the plan, they all retired for an early night's rest. They woke up with the rise of the sun and quickly ate breakfast. Kanitsu, Takashi, and Mikitao, who were all big eaters, tried to get extra time to eat, but neither Hiromi nor Ryo would allow it. They both ordered their men to hurry it up so that they could continue the last stretch of land to the base of the mountain that Honrako Palace was situated upon.
They soon rode on and an hour later they reached the base. From that time on, Ryo related the plan to every man, and he gave everyone specific areas to look, as well as certain jobs to do. It was up to Yukio to penetrate through the gate with his magic, and Shinji, who happened to be an excellent lock picker, was given the job of breaking the lock on the servant's door. Once in, Takashi and Kanitsu were to make sure the area was clear, and take care of any unwanted interferences. Then Ryo, Hiromi, Shinji, and Mikitao would break off into the south part of the palace and search the guest chambers for Suki and the Princess. Yukio was going to stand guard of the servant's door and make sure they had a clear way out, and warn the men if he saw any guards outside looking suspicious.
"Right," Ryo proclaimed after the main parts of the plan were explained. "Now, we'll ride up until we come to the gates. We'll go around in the forest and make our entrance through the east side of the gates so the enemy doesn't see us. It shouldn't take us long to reach the palace, which is why we must wait in the forest until nightfall."
"It is no wonder you were able to kidnap my sister and we couldn't stop you. Your plans are very thorough."
"Best you remember that your highness." Mikitao laughed, and they all set off up the castle hill.
- - -
"Goodnight my enchanting and teasing Princess." Takuya said to her softly, after she excused herself from his presence at dinner.
It was bad enough he was forcing her to marry him, but to make her dine with him every night was just sickening. True, he ate like a gentleman, and as far as a prince goes, he was quite perfect. Only she hated to be forced to eat her supper with the same man who would either marry her or kill her dearest friend.
"Sweet slumber to you too sir." She said coldly and exited the room.
Before going to her room to sleep however, she ventured through the halls to the other end of the guest rooms to Suki's chamber. After knocking on it, Suki came to the door and bid her in.
"I am at least thankful the Prince has finally given me something decent to wear." Suki laughed.
It was true. After Takuya had made the deal with Naoko that Suki should no longer be a servant but a guest instead, things started to change. Such as Suki entering her room that evening to find a lovely dress placed on her bedside.
"You are now going to be respected as a lady it would seem. I am happy for you." The Princess smiled meekly.
"A lady? Hah! As long as we stay under this roof a servant I am still. And then once you marry him, I'll be passed down to another Princess to wait on."
"No, I have talked it over with the Prince, and he will allow me to keep you here, not as a servant but a companion."
"But Naoko that's…" Suki willed herself to close her gaping mouth. "How delightful! Then, do you think he may as well allow me to go out whenever I want? And do whatever I wish?"
"Of course dear friend. You will be free to do as you please."
"Do you think I will have much a chance of tracking down the bandits of Quentia?"
Naoko looked at for a second. Her expression turned sour. "Why bother? They left us here to this misery."
"They are our friend's, remember?"
"I thought so too, until I realized I would be forced to marry a prince against my will and they are to blame."
"Dear Naoko, the day they left you were so infatuated with the prince, I believe they thought you happy here."
"Possibly so. Pardon my distasteful thoughts Suki, you are most right. They are our friends I suppose, especially Yukio and Shinji, I'd say, since they didn't want to give us in to begin with. They had tried to keep us."
"Yes, they did." Suki mumbled and began to blush.
The Princess smiled as she observed this. "And what would you be intending by contacting them again?"
"Oh, I would just like to see—well since I'll be a free woman I could—" But Suki was at a loss for words.
"You were thinking of continuing that little relationship you held with Yukio, no?"
"We had no relationship, other then friendship." Suki's gaze fell to her feet. "Flirting was the farthest it went."
"I bet it would have gone much more further had we more days of the journey with them."
"Yes well, it's getting late. I suppose we should be taking rest soon."
"And I suppose that you suppose correctly." Naoko responded, getting up from the seat she took on Suki's bed. "Goodnight dear friend and remember, you are a free woman and Yukio is a good man; still single too."
"I won't forget that ever." Suki yawned, closing the door behind Naoko as she exited Suki's chamber.
- - -
"Yukio, you know what to do."
"Right Commander."
Yukio took out his silver dust and threw it upon the gates, muttering an incantation.
Moments later the steel gates started to dissolve until there was a big whole across a wide span of the gates.
"Wow." Takashi mumbled. "How'd you—"
"Something my grandmother taught me, just in case ever I got thrown into dungeon and needed to break out."
"Couldn't you use that to get through walls?"
"Nah, walls are too thick and my magic isn't that strong. Prison bars, castle gates and barriers are simpler to penetrate."
"Okay, no guards are circling the area, their all up front and most of them asleep any way. On the count of three, we run for the servants door over there by the hedges." Ryo commanded.
The count was made and the men successfully made it to their destination without any obstacles. Shinji now took out of his inside shirts a long metal rod with a woolly tip that he used to clean out his flute. He turned it around and stuck the metal part of it into the lock of the servants' door. Stepping up to the door and placing his ear against it, he slowly turned his rod until he heard a distinctive click.
"We're in." He said, slowly opening the slightly creaking door.
Kanitsu and Takashi both walked in first and looked around but found no one. "This door leads to the cellar."
"Alright, everyone knows the plan. Yukio you stay here, Kanitsu, Takashi go ahead and find the door that leads to the kitchens and then the main hall of the palace." Ryo directed.
Kanitsu soon found the doors leading to the kitchen. Takashi and the other men followed him through it, until they found the door leading to the servants' hall, which in turn opened up into the palace's main hall. Kanitsu and Takashi were the first to enter, and after look around to see that no one was around, the rest of the men followed.
"Alright, Takashi you stay here so we know the way back to the servants' hall, and Kanitsu, go ahead of us and find the grand stairway leading to the upper levels."
After a bit of silent exploring through the grand hall, Kanitsu soon came upon the grand stairway and called the others quietly. Then on Ryo's order, Kanitsu stayed at the bottom of the steps to watch for any guards and warn them, as the four remaining men ascended up the stairs.
"The south part is this way." Ryo called, as they made their way down the halls of the second level.
Soon they came to many long branched out hallways where many guest rooms were located.
"Split up. You take that left hall Mikitao, Shinji take the one next to him, Hiromi you take that middle one, and I'll check through the right one." Ryo quickly instructed.
"But what about those two remaining hallways?" Hiromi asked, point to the firth and sixth one.
"If anyone finishes looking and finds nothing then come back here and start searching through those ones." Ryo answered, and they all broke off.
It took them all a great deal of time to search through every room. Some were locked, so they had to knock on the door to see if anyone would answer. Shinji simply took his time by picking every lock, and Mikitao waited five whole minutes after he tapped on a door, before proceeding to another one. Most of Ryo's doors swung open but he could not find any occupants thus far. Hiromi went as far as to go into the room, and searched it thoroughly, even under the bed, thinking maybe his sister could be hiding mistaking them for robbers.
In the end Mikitao and Ryo were the first to end up back in the main hall of that floor, with no luck at finding anyone.
"You take the fifth hallway, and I'll try the sixth one." Ryo said when he approached and found Mikitao waiting there.
Shinji was the first person to get lucky. After breaking into a locked door, her found Suki in her bed sound asleep.
"Suki," He whispered, shaking her lightly, "Wake up."
Suki opened her eyes and was about to scream but Shinji threw his hand over her mouth. "It's me, Shinji. We've come to bust you and the Princess out. Now hurry and get dressed so we can reach the others. I'll turn to the wall, now." He said looking away so Suki could get up and dress herself.
Hiromi soon finished with his hallway, and then when back and took the fifth corridor.
Ryo continued searching down the sixth passageway. It wasn't long before he was the second to get lucky.
He opened the door just as he did the others, for it wasn't locked, which made him sure it was just like all the others, empty. Only, when he took a quick glance in and started to back out, he stopped and looked again.
There, quite silent and still, laid Princess Naoko in deep slumber. Ryo walked over to her bedside and looked down at her for a moment. How peaceful she looked, with a soft expression on her face. Hardly ever had he seen her face so peaceful, especially when she looked at him with loathsomeness.
A smile slowly crept upon her face and she turned over. It startled Ryo a bit for he was sure she was going to wake up, but instead, she just moved position and continued to sleep with that hint of a smile. But what was she smiling for? Was she dreaming?
"Nothing more…enchanting…then a shooting star…"She mumbled, turning around again.
She was dreaming of stars. Yet, the words she spoke sounded oddly familiar. But from where, Ryo couldn't remember. The last time he himself had a chance to gaze up at the stars was but the night before, and indeed he loved the look of stars, but had he said that before? Yes! Yes, he had said that phrase before, to Naoko herself. It was one of their last nights of the journey together, and he had commented on the stars. So what was she dreaming of besides stars then?
Ryo did not have much time to contemplate this though, for rain began to ascend upon the earth followed by the loud sound of thunder, which woke Naoko up on the spot. She gasped as her vision came to and she could make out a figure of a tall man standing by her bedside. She sat up from her bed at once. With another look she recognized the man to be a bandit, but not just any bandit. It was Ryo.
"What—why, where—what are you doing here?" She managed to ask, after a struggling for the right words.
"The bandits have come to rescue you and Suki from this place."
"Your—but—"
"I must say Princess, you should really think about locking your door at night. Anyone could come and kidnap you."
"But—why are you rescuing us? You're the one who put us here!" Her voice grew louder.
"Shh, don't give us away, speak lowly. We gave you in to collect our gold, and now that we got our gold for delivering you, there is no need for you to suffer here a moment longer. You are suffering here, correct?"
"It's been horrid. The Prince is forcing me to marry him." She groaned.
"You'll be out of his grasp by the time the night is over. Now come on, hurry."
"But, still. Why are you doing this? For all you knew, I would have been returned safely home."
"Yes, but it was a risk no one wanted to take." Ryo answered. "Now get out of bed and hurry."
"Wait," Naoko retained him as he made for the door. "Your answer doesn't suffice. Are you in love with me? Is that it?"
Ryo turned from the door and back to her. "Not in the least. Are you in love with me?"
"No." Naoko grinned, as the corners of Ryo's mouth twisted upward.
There was a moment's pause before Hiromi appeared at the door.
"You found her!" He exclaimed, but in a low voice, and ran to his sister to embrace her.
Naoko hugged him back tightly. "Oh brother! What ordeal I've been through."
"It's alright, now get up and dress. We must move quickly."
"Hold on a second," Naoko said as he let go. "Hiromi, Ryo, you two know each other?"
Hiromi and Ryo exchanged glances. "We ran into the bandits in the forest. They almost slipped by us but—"
"But I stopped his highness, told him who we were, and together we all came to save you." Ryo finished for him.
"Oh wow." Naoko could not have believed it if she hadn't seen the two of them standing next to each other then.
"Now rise from bed and dress!" Hiromi said as he walked over to the door to exit.
"Ahem." Naoko said, looking over to Ryo who still stood there.
"Yes?" He asked.
"Bandit!" She protested.
"Thief, get out of my sister's room so she can dress." Hiromi said, coming back through the exit.
"Oh, right." Ryo nodded, and exited the room with Hiromi.
In the minutes Naoko took, Mikitao soon joined them. Then all four of them ventured to the hall where all the separate hallways conjoined, and they met Suki and Shinji waiting there.
"Now to make our escape." Ryo muttered to himself, as they descended down the grand stairway.
- - -
End of ch.15
A/N: three…chapters…left…can you believe it? I'm determined to post them before September!
Laurashrub, hey your review totally made my day because I love looooong reviews. Glad you've jumped on to the Arigatou-wagon, with just a couple chapters left! Looking back yes there's Mulan inspiration, but Tamora Pierce, you think so? I just read her first series in May (love George!), but this story was written years ago…so if there are similarities it's purely a coincidence. Ryo is cool, I had to make him cool otherwise he wouldn't be good enough for Naoko. But Shinji is totally the gentleman, he grew up playing for the courts of kings so he has decorum as well as charm. Now I'm just imaging you yelling at the computer screen, hahaha, I'm afraid Prince Takuya will in the picture for at least the next three years however. And lastly, YAY another Belle! Most of the quizzes I take say Belle too, a couple said Mulan though, hahaha.
Narnialover, the Prince wasn't going to torture Naoko, like he said at the end of chapter 14, "That won't be necessary, my darling Princess." Bad as he is, he doesn't want to physically abuse the woman he wants to take for a wife, no instead he'll just force her into marriage. At first Suki was supposed to be sleeping in the servants quarters, but after Naoko insisted on Suki being a guest on their first day there, she's instead been sleeping in another room in the guests quarters…though the Prince made sure their rooms weren't close to each other.
Traceykiwilee, intense, you really think so? Well…I think this chapter would be even more intense, what with the Prince's blackmailing, and their escape.
Like I'd tell you, hahaha, you can remind me to update soon as much as you want, it pushes me to update quicker, actually. I'm the fastest updater out there because this is already written…now if it wasn't, there'd be weeks in between updates. As for Naoko, and Suki, well the Prince just planned on having them ignored, until he could think of a way to force Naoko into marriage. He's heartless yes, but not cruel enough to use physical violence (on her).
-rayko.