RE-WRITTEN 15th November oh to the eight
XD
Dis -of -the- claimer-ing: there is no way possible that i could own these wonderful stories -sniff-
To my faithful reviewers -gives chocolates- they come with Kyo's love XD
Kyo: Wha?
Me: Shhhh
Oh well…i am aware i left you with a cliff-hanger of sorts…apologies…
Kyo: what are you making me promise them?
Me: nothing….-shifty eyes- On to the chapter!
Chapter 3: Her Return
The royal castle was bursting full of festive preparation as the King looked on from his tower with worry. He sat down at the table looking out the window to the sun.
"No sign of her yet…" Katsuya sighed
"Of course Katsuya, it's a good half hour till sunset." Kazuma said reassuringly, ordering Ayame into the room. He brought a bottle of wine and three glasses.
"M'lady," Ayame passed a glass to Kyoko who had just entered.
"Just what I needed…" Kyoko took the glass and sat with her husband.
"The battle's almost over, she's as good as here!" Ayame chimed in, used to being included by the kind nobility.
"Yes, but after sixteen years of worrying, never knowing…" Kyoko said looking out to the now setting sun
"The past, all in the past." Ayame said joyously, "Tonight, we toast to future!" he rose his glass (A/N: very used to their hospitality apparently…)
"To the future!" Katsuya, Kyoko and Kazuma joined in, feeling joy for the first time in sixteen years. They celebrated merrily, babbling about new homes and weddings, grandchildren and such.
"His Royal Highness, Prince Kyo!" Ayame announced receiving a notice.
"Kyo?" Kazuma got up quickly and walked outside, Kyo galloped through the castle gates and past Kazuma.
"Kyo!" Kazuma said calling after him "Quickly, you don't have much time to change, you can't meet your future bride looking like that." Kazuma said sternly as Kyo trotted up to him.
"Oh but I have met her!" Kyo said with a rare smile on his usual scowling face. Kazuma looked to him puzzled.
"You have? Where?" Kazuma asked as Kyo jumped off Haru.
"Once upon a dream…" Kyo said dreamily, he caught Kazuma's look, "No really, it wasn't a dream, I really did meet her!" Kyo said quickly.
"You met Princess Reimei? Oh! I must tell Katsuya and Kyoko!" Kazuma said relieved. Kyo looked at him quizzically, "I didn't say it was Reimei…" Kyo said as if Kazuma was stupid.
"Yes you did! You said-" Ayame butted in, but Kyo interrupted the annoying man
"I said I met the girl I was going to marry. I don't know who she was, a peasant girl I suppose." Kyo said defiantly with a dreamy look. (A/N: it's actually hard to do)
"A peasant girl? You're going to marry a ... Why Kyonkitchi, you're joking!" Ayame said flabbergasted, he turned to Kazuma "Isn't he?" Kazuma looked to Kyo sternly
"Kyo…" He began, but Kyo just jumped on to Haru and prepared to leave.
"It's the fourteenth century! Stop living in the past! I'm going to marry the girl I love!" Kyo yelled and rode off into the woods, Kazuma turned back to castle sadly.
"Teenagers, they're all raging hormones…" Ayame said shaking his head, as he watched the Prince ride off.
"How am I going to tell Katsuya and Kyoko?" Kazuma said as he trudged up to the tower.
Hana and Uo were walking through the woods with Tohru towards the castle, the only sound was the owls hooting and Tohru's soft sobs. The sun had almost set by the time they reached the castle and they escorted Tohru to her room.
"Lock the door Arisa." Hana said as she pulled the curtains closed, she sat Tohru down at her dresser in front of her mirror.
"This one last gift, dear child for thee, the symbol of thy royalty. A crown to wear in grace and beauty, as is thy right, and royal duty." Hana and Arisa wisped Tohru's crown into existence and placed it gently on her brown locks. Tohru looked at herself in the mirror and tears started to blur her vision, she buried her head in her arms crying. Hana and Uo tried to comfort her, but to no avail.
"Let her have a few moments" Hana said and they left the room, locking the door.
"It's that boy she met…" Hana said knowingly, she looked sadly to Uo
"What are we going to do?" Uo said looking at the door.
Tohru was sobbing softly in her room when the fire went out. She looked up briefly to see a sickly green orb floating where the fire once was, she became transfixed as it bobbed up and down, and then the brick wall of the fireplace was gone, revealing secret stairs. Tohru, now under Akito's spell, followed the beckoning light through the fireplace.
"I don't see why Tohru has to marry a Prince anyway!" Uo said upset
"That's not for us to decide Arisa…" Hana said sadly.
There was a distinct poof of magic that came through the door and alerted the fairies to a sinister presence. Uo and Hana looked at each other
"Akito!" They both said and busted through the door, but they were too late, Tohru was already climbing the stairs.
"Tohru!" They yelled and ran into the fireplace, but the opening closed, Hana got her wand out.
"Oh why did we have to leave her alone?" Uo asked no-one in particular. Hana opened the door and ran up the stairs, Uo behind her.
Tohru walked up the stairs, following the pretty light, it lead her to a hidden tower, there it turned into a spinning wheel, the needle gleaming in the rich sunset light.
"Tohru!" the desperate calls came from behind her. She liked the look of the needle, she had a sudden urge to touch it, she reached forward-
"Tohru! Don't touch anything!" Uo's voice called to her. Tohru drew her hand back, then Akito's voice whispered in her ear, "Touch it! Touch the needle!" this command was laced with magic, forcing her to reach out again. Tohru's middle finger brushed the needle so softly, yet it caused her to bleed, sending her into the cursed sleep. Uo and Hana burst into the room to see the wheel and Akito standing there with a smug grin on her face, Tohru nowhere to be seen.
"What have you done with her?" Uo demanded, Hana glared at Akito, she just smirked
"You poor simple fools, thinking you could defeat me! Me! The mistress of all evil." She said anger evident in her eyes, she swept aside her cape, revealing Tohru's limp body. "Well, here's your precious Princess!" She declared and cackled evilly, disappearing into the sickly green smoke again. Uo and Hana rushed over to Tohru's limp form, she was still alive, but sleeping.
"Oh Tohru! I'll never forgive myself!" Uo cried, hugging her body, Hana knelt down beside her, and joined the hug.
"We're all to blame" she said sadly and let her tears run. The last sliver of the blood red sun disappeared on the horizon.
Kazuma walked into the throne room sadly, where Katsuya and Kyoko were waiting patiently. He stopped before them,
"Katsuya, I have something important to tell you" he said solemnly
"Don't be like that Kazuma! It's a time for celebration." Katsuya said, in high spirits
"But it's about Kyo," Kazuma said worried
"Kyo? Oh yes, of course, Kyo, why, where is he?" Kyoko said amused by the Prince
"That's what I'm trying to tell you." Kazuma said trying to hide his sadness
"Well, send for him immediately!" Kyoko said joyously
"But-" Kazuma tried to protest as fanfare started out in the courtyard, the royalty looked up.
"The sun has set, make ready to welcome your Princess!" Ayame shouted joyfully.
The crowd in the palace cheered and fireworks were shot into the sky.
Uo and Hana looked up from Tohru and out the window at the announcement, they saw the fireworks and heard the crowd cheer and looked sadly back to Tohru. They had moved her back to her tower and placed her in her bed, her beautiful hair spread out behind her, her bright eyes closed, and a red rose graced her hands. She looked so peaceful.
"The King and Queen will be heartbroken when they find out." Uo said sadly, tears in her eyes as she stroked Tohru's hair. Hana looked up.
"They're not going to" She said wiping her tears away
"They're not?" Uo said surprised, Hana looked determined
"We'll send them all to sleep until Tohru wakes up." She stated and flew out of the room, Uo close behind.
They shrunk themselves and sprinkled the spell over everyone in the courtyard and palace, they entered the throne room and sprinkled the nobility. Uo was sprinkling Kazuma, Katsuya and Kyoko when she overheard Kazuma saying something.
"I've just been talking to Kyo, seems he's fallen in love with a peasant girl…" he said drifting off into sleep.
"Peasant girl?" Uo asked, waking him up a bit, "The peasant girl, who is she? Where did he meet her?" Uo said quickly, Kazuma struggled to stay awake.
"Once upon a dream…"he said defeated by sleep.
"Once upon a…Oh! Tohru, Prince Kyo!" Uo said excitedly, she flew over to Hana
"Come on! We have to get back to the cottage!" Uo said flying towards the forest, Hana close behind.
Well not much changed that chapter…
Look forward to the next chapter!
review! you get chocolates! (and Kyo's love) XP
Kyo: Wha…?
Me: never mind…
-bear XD