Chapter 11

Meeting Kashue

Ranma and company were brought into a great hall, which signified the same lifestyle as the rest of the city...Though the elegance in here was much better, than it was the rest of the city. The pigtailed martial artist had seen the Disney movie 'Aladdin' with Akane once, the castle looked much like the one Jasmine and her father had lived in. The startling contrast of the great hall was overshadowed by the man sitting in the throne in front of them. He was a tall man with short jet black hair, a finely trimmed mustache and beard, and wore light grey clothing. His armor which hung on a rack in a corner, almost matched his clothing. He also wore a long blue cloak and a turban. His outward appearance would label him a rogue. One of the guards bowed to him. "M'lord Kashue," the guards dropped their hateful gaze on Pirotess, the moment the group entered the castle, which was very puzzling to the young martial artist.

Kashue nodded, "So we have the famed 'Crimson Knight,' I've heard rumors flying about you, but until I saw you with my own eyes, I didn't think they'd be true."

Ranma looked confused, "Um what rumors are those?"

The Mercenary blinked a moment, "Difficult for me to say really, only that you've saved a village from some of Marmo's lingering forces, wandered into the realm and in the company of a Dark Elf and a Troll, defeated a band of kidnappers trying to take the Princess of Valis and her consort with your bare hands. This list goes on and on."

Ranma scratched the back of his head for a moment, "I don't know about the kidnapping stuff, but everything else sounds bout right," he paused crossing his arms. "What's the idea having us arrested we didn't do anything wrong?"

Kashue chuckled, "Sorry, merely to appease the masses of the city. Wounds are still fresh in the minds of my people, having a Dark Elf walk into the city makes them angry enough."

Pirotess bowed her head, "I am ashamed King Kashue, for what my people did as part of Beld's army."

The Mercenary King simply waved his hand, "Though my people hold grudges, I do not. Besides I could see clearly in your walk that you've changed your path," he smiled sitting down in his throne glancing at Ranma's companions. "Slader, old friend what are you doing here?"

The Gnome gave an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders, "Well I thought ya missed me, so I dropped by," he stated with a dry wit of sarcasm.

Kashue laughed, "I see your humor hasn't changed in ten years."

"Nope, and the boy here has given me new fuel to add to the fire," Slader smirked. "We were on our way to stop my brother from taking over my job when we we're invited here," the gnome explained.

"Strange your brother and your council are here in the guestrooms, they came looking for you," Kashue replied.

Slader body stiffened, "Why would they do that?"

"They haven't made knowledge that I was privy too, kept muttering things in your Gnome tongue," if the King of Flaim looked annoyed it, but it didn't show.

Slader nodded, "Be back in a few boy," the Gnome told Ranma as he ran off to meet his kin while Ranma watched him leave.

Kashue meanwhile, took stock of Slader and Ranma's other companions. He saw the huge Troll standing behind Ranma rather protectively. The king was mildly surprised by it. No human being in recent memory had befriended a Troll, the last time it had happened it was through a life debt. The other four were human one man and three women. The man dressed like a druid, but by Kashue's experience he held himself like a healer, the young long brown haired woman standing next to him had a look of serenity on her face, which was only a mask he could see her eyes held tragic pain. The girl standing next to her had short brown hair. The look in this girl's eye brought a small smile to the Mercenary king's lips. The girl was mentally calculating everything around her, no doubt mentally preparing a list of questions. Finally his eyes set upon the red haired woman; standing next to the red armored boy, to say Kashue became enamored by her beauty would be an understatement.

Meanwhile, Ranma was getting bored, "So ya aren't going to throw us in jail?"

"No, quite the contrary, I had received word from some old friends that they would like to meet you. It seems the High Elves had some sort of legend that coincides with the fact that you're wearing red armor and have a Dark Elf, Gnome, and Troll following you around. I only ask for your indulgence and to be my guest until they arrive."

Ranma scratched his head glancing at Pirotess, "Uh, what's he mean by that?"

Pirotess giggled slightly, "He asked if we mind staying until his friends show up."

The pigtailed martial artist thought about it a moment, "Yeah sure, besides I think my mom, Kasumi, Tofu, and Nabiki be better off staying here anyway. Don't have to worry 'bout them gettin' hurt."

"Are you saying I cannot look after myself, son?" Nodoka asked coolly.

Ranma took a few moments to collect himself like Pirotess taught him before answering to avoid putting his foot in his mouth. "Nah mom, it's just that if we got set up by a raiding party or something, those that can't fight could get hurt while those that are fightin' are distracted," he frowned a moment. The only ones who couldn't really fight physically in their group were Nabiki and Kasumi. "Besides I didn't think ya liked walking around like I do."

Nodoka wasn't sold on the first part but the last part rang true, she didn't like the idea of wandering from one place to another. "I agree about the wandering part my son. It's not a life, to which I'm use to. Nor is it a life the girls are use to either."

Kashue listened to the exchange, while rubbing his beard. It turned out, that the woman was in fact the red armored boy's mother. It wasn't too far fetched considering how closely they resembled each other, "My castle is free to you, and anything you wish will be brought to you."

Ranma shrugged, "All I want is something to do, I've haven't been in a good fight since I was with Pirotess' people," he smiled brightly apparently had forgotten how close he came to being killed while he had been there. "They really know how to show a guy a good time."

Kashue turned to Pirotess with a confused expression only to see the Dark Elf's face colored red looking at the floor almost in shame. "If you wish for some sword practice, my best knights could use the workout to...," Pirotess and Granite were violently shaking there heads, eyes wide and skin slightly pale, which was really tricky, considering both had darker skin colors. The red armored boy however was extremely excited Kashue walked towards the group. "Allow me to show you around then."

In another part of Lodoss... Still trying to catch a glimpse of Ranma and his group, Parn was sitting in a tavern eating his food lightly glaring at the various male patrons who were giving Deedlit a once over. Deedlit however was too busy talking to the owner of the establishment to notice the looks she was getting. After conversing with the owner for a few moments she walked back over to sit with Parn, Slain, and Leylia, "The Crimson Knight's real name is Ranma Saotome, he passed through here before going east. His group had increased in number. The owner mentioned that he was traveling with a Troll, a Dark Elf, a Gnome, four women, and a man. Although the fourth woman, seemed to have vanished when they left."

Slain sipped the ale he was drinking, "While you were talking, Parn and I talked to a few rangers. Seems to be new rumors flying about of an outpost in the deep Northern Mountains hadn't been heard from in sometime. It appears that Etoh sent a scouting party up into the mountains to find out what happened to the outpost, and none of the scouts have returned."

Parn used his index finger to rub his temple, "Wonder what could be going on?"

The High Elf was about to add to Slain's comments, when a blue and green desert falcon flew in and landed on the table in front of Parn. "Isn't that one of King Kashue's messenger falcons?"

Parn quickly untied the parchment from the bird's talons, and unrolled it as the bird took off. "Kashue has the Crimson Knight and his company in his castle right now. Strange... I wonder how they got turned around and ended up in Kashue's kingdom?"

None of the others could explain it either, as they paid for their meal and quickly left for the kingdom of Flaim. As they got closer, more rumors of things happening in the deep North began arising, rumors of an 'Army of the Dead' marching down from the nameless valley.

Ranma watched as another knight of Kashue's army crashed into the ground, gasping in pain. With a frown on his face, the pigtailed boy looked up at the Mercenary monarch, "Um, sorry?" he said meekly while scratching the back of his head.

Kashue chuckled, "Maybe you should work on your swordsmanship, I see that you are already beyond exceptional in unarmed combat."

Ranma looked dejected, "I would but I'm not very good at it, I've read my mom's scrolls ten times already and performed the katas they'd shown."

Kashue nodded, "Then how about you spar with me, I've been told I'm quite the teacher," the monarch smiled remembering his days with Parn and how well that young man was with a sword. Etoh had told him, the young paladin had gone toe to toe with Ashram in the depths of Marmo.

Ranma smiled as Kashue tossed him, his sword. Without any further word, the pigtailed martial artist unsheathed his sword, the red blade glinting brightly in the afternoon sun. Kashue glanced at the sword, admiring the simple elegance of the blade as well as the color. "Tell me, young Ranma, how did you get such a fine blade?"

The young martial artist looked at the sword and smiled brightly, "Made it myself," twirling the sword in a figure eight pattern before moving into a stance holding the sword in upper guard position the blade pointing toward Kashue. Kashue made a saluting motion, before getting in a fencing position. The monarch quickly lunged in bringing his sword level to test Ranma's reaction. The young martial artist blocked and then countered bringing his sword in from the left, Kashue deftly blocked it, knocking the sword aside, to lunge in again, Ranma countered spinning out of the way at the same time bringing his sword up catching Kashue's blade from underneath. To avoid the sword getting knocked from his hands the Mercenary king followed the sword's momentum spinning it in a northeastern arc to come up to meeting Ranma's sword, which quickly came down to block Kashue's blade.

"Very good Ranma, your responses are very quick," the Mercenary king tried a left fake, then came in at the right only to have Ranma's blade meet it. The spar began in earnest as they ducked, weaved, lunged, and parried each move in quick succession. Kashue was barely able to follow his young companions movements throughout the sparring session, as their swords clashed loudly in the afternoon sunlight, the sun giving the blades a bright glow almost as if they were bathed in fire, Kashue's giving off a bright white glow while Ranma's gave a bright crimson glow. Ranma would spin and lunge to meet the Mercenary king's lunges and parry's, neither getting the upper hand.

"Um, King Kashue have you met or known any Elves in your life?" Ranma asked in mid strike countering a low strike the red blade flickering a moment in his eye.

"Several some as enemies like your Pirotess and others as friends, why do you ask?" the Mercenary King deftly knocked the blade to lunge in again but was block.

"Is it true they are immortal?" Ranma asked slapping Kashue's blade right swinging his sword in a high arc to have Kashue bring his blade up to meet it.

"Yes, the commonality of both Dark and High Elves is that they are immortal. Does that worry you?" the mercenary king inquired hoping it would drop the young martial artist's guard, but to no avail. Ranma quickly countered the blow coming at him from the right spinning and back flipping out of the way.

Ranma eyes looked troubled, "I had no idea, so I'll grow old and die, an she'll be the same as she is today," he responded reengaging Kashue but his heart wasn't in it from that point on, spinning once around he brought his sword up high. With a quick spin of the wrist he was disarmed, with Kashue pointing the sword at the young man's nose.

Kashue quietly sheathed his own sword and handed Ranma his. "Tis the way things are young Ranma. However if Pirotess were to bare you a child her immortal life would change to that of a mortal," he had listen in to Parn and Deedlit talking in the stateroom of his ship upon their return to Lodoss. It had been a lengthy explanation, mainly because Parn had expressed his deep worry of dying and leaving the High Elf alone.

Ranma was blushing at the comment, "Why is that?"

The Mercenary king cleared his throat not sure how to explain something like that to him. "I think Pirotess would be a better person to explain it to you," as he said that, Nodoka Saotome walked up to them, clapping her hands.

"That was a beautiful display of swordsmanship, my son," the woman smiled slipping her hands into the fold of her cloak. "You progressed rather well."

The pigtailed boy blushed again but was beaming from his mother's praise, "Thanks, mom. Still not finished with all the tiers in the scrolls," he admitted to her, as he bowed to Kashue. "Thank you for the sparring match, your better than my old man," he added smiling before running off.

Kashue watched the young pigtailed martial artist go, and then turned towards Nodoka, "You have a strange and yet wondrous son, Lady Saotome," a ghost of a smile appearing on his face.

The middle aged woman looked down at the ground, "And a stranger to me, because of my foolish ideals of honor."

Cocking his head to the side... Kashue was eyeing the woman, as she started to drown herself in self pity. "It doesn't seem to affect his address upon you. He holds the love of child for his mother in his heart, like all sons do," Kashue said smiling sadly, in memory of his own mother.

Nodoka raised her head and a smile returned to her face, "Yes, it's true," she pulled her family sword from the sheath. "Care for a sparring match with me good king?"

Kashue eyes danced slightly at the invitation, "It would do me a great honor, m'lady," he drew his sword taking up the fencing stance again. While his opponent took up a stance holding her sword upside down from the hilt, he had faced the student before, now he was facing the master.