Hi there! This is the next chapter...obviously... but I still wanted to say that...
Princess Mikan walks up the stairs out of the dungeon prison step by step, slowly. In her mind, arguments with her father start forming and scenarios fill her head. All of them end up with Ruuka being set free. She definitely knows that her father was just putting up a show for the guards. Well, when has her father ever repudiated any of her wishes? As an only child, that was one of her many extremely well trained capabilities, the power to sway one's parents' minds.
As she reaches the door her smile plasters itself on her face. Ruuka would be out in no time. She doesn't want to cause him grief seeing as it was partly Natsume and her who got him caught.
She walks into her father's study. Sultan Narumi seems to be pacing back and forth and it mystifies Mikan for awhile. She has never seen her father pace like this, one hand under his chin occasionally rubbing his rather downcast eyes, the other pressed against his rib cage.
Having conveniently no sense of atmosphere she walks on and sits herself on her father's big Sultan-ish chair, propped in front of his equally big Sultan-ish desk, piled high with papers and to the side the family seal, which is an intricate design of cat, and a red candle for wax.
"Father," she begins. Narumi seems a little startled. He looks up, sees his daughter, stops a moment mid-pace, then continues. Mikan counts five steps before he turns on his heel to pace the other direction. Feeling a little piqued at her father's evident dismissal she stands up and blocks his pacing.
"Father," she says again. Narumi drops his hands to his sides and sighs. He walks over to his chair and plops himself in it. Mikan almost senses the atmosphere, just almost, then continues.
"Please, let my friend go, Father." She says quite flimsily, but this is part of the whole master-plan she has concocted through out her whole life.
"No."
She moves closer to him, straightens her body and raises her head.
"Let my friend go."
This time it's almost an order.
"No." comes the reply.
She sits on her father's chair's arm, and puts her arms around his neck. Narumi heaves a muffled sigh, he stares straight forward, his gaze landing on the partially open door Mikan had entered in previously.
With a small sweet voice Mikan tries again.
"Please, Father, please, please, please, let him go."
"No."
Last step, piece of cake. This time there won't be any negative answers.
She stands up to walk in front of her father and silently eggs him to look at her. As adapted habit, he does, albeit a little slower this time.
She starts to tear up and slowly but surely the tears are falling freely on her cheeks.
"It was my fault he was caught -sob-. He's my friend, Father. -snivel- He might have done some bad things, but it can't be that bad -choke on tears-. I'm sure he won't do anything else wrong after this. If you don't give him another chance, he'll be completely mad at me. -bawl-."
Narumi watches his daughter for a few moments and as an unknown habit he starts to tear up himself.
Mikan smiles a little, but continues to cry.
But this is not a matter to be handled by tears and the sway of a daughter to her father's heart.
Narumi stands up and walks towards the door.
"You're going to set him free, then?" Mikan asks.
He turns back to see her cheerful and perky once again. How many times has he been duped by his daughter? Well, never the mind. This time he cannot be so carefree with his decisions.
"No, Mikan, no. I've told you, not a thousand times but more. No."
He shuts the door, leaving a baffled Mikan with her mouthing hanging open in a comical O-shape.
Did I just hear him right? Did my father just deny my request? I must be hearing wrong. He has never denied anything of me. Surely this matter of petty thieving would have been overlooked for me in the past before! I mean, I even talked him out of punishing Natsume when he broke that vase in the library. And mind you, it was an extremely old and expensive vase. Ruuka can't be that bad of a person, he seemed nice to me. Why is father opposing to my wish this one time I really need it?
I slump on his chair and stare blankly at the papers before me. I catch a few words like order, ministry, Perugie and glimpse some sort of map. Dismayed, I walk out of his study and head towards my room.
I pass by some of the guards talking about how Burhem captured the princess as a prisoner and planned to hand her over to the dungeon claiming that she was an accomplice to Black Cat, who turned out to be one of the princess's friends. They were sniggering until one of them catches sight of me and silences his companions.
Inside my room, Natsume is seated on the pink sofa, his head leaning against its back and a little bit of drool dribbling on his chin. I stifle a giggle and whack him slightly on the head.
He stirs and slowly looks at me with his blood red eyes.
"What's the matter with you? Can't you see I'm sleeping?" He says snappishly.
"You're going to help me break Ruuka out of prison."
"No, I'm not. Now leave me alone."
"It's really your fault he got caught, so you're going to help me!"
"It wasn't my fault you forgot to bring my clothes! And you're the one who dragged me out of the palace as well!"
"Just help me! I know it's my fault! That's why I need to break him out. But I can't do it alone, please!" I say tears prickling my eyes.
"Fine! I'll help you!"
We waited until about the time when the guards eyes drooped like crazy, which is to say until about midnight or so, before we dared to go to the dungeon.
"Let's go."
Natsume and I walk silently through the corridors. His feet make no sound at all. It reminds me of a stalking cat, which he part is.
All seems to be going fine. We just sneak into the dungeon, Natsume will whack the guard there. There's only ever two down there, which I'm sure Natsume can handle. We move on quietly like ghosts until I stumble on the edge of a carpet and send a decorative bowl flying.
Natsume tries to catch it, but too late. It drops and a sickening loud crash is heard that would alert all the guards on this floor. Natsume grabs my hand and we run like hell.
I can't even tell where we're going but I hear several 'who's there's from the guards. We stop and end up in a small room that is filled with boxes and some paintings.
"Where are we?" I ask.
"Dunno."
I've never been in this room before. I look around and spot one painting that catches my eye.
"Hey, Natsume look at this!"
The painting is that of a grim-faced man with chestnut hair, round glasses and piercing eyes, his arm on the shoulder of a blonde haired boy who...
"Hey, doesn't that boy look like Ruuka? Wow! It does look exactly like him!" I say examining the picture more closely.
I turn to look at Natsume who also stares at the painting, his eyes wide and his fists oddly clenched at his sides.
I can't believe I'm on my own now! Somehow, after entering that small room Natsume said,
"You're on your own." coldly he turned around towards my room.
I called after him. Begged him. Told him I'd give him dogs to chase. Nothing. What's wrong with him? How am I supposed to get Ruuka out now?
I walk even more slowly now that I've lost my companion. I dread at the thought of being caught by the guards trying to sneak Ruuka out. What do I do when I get down to the dungeons and face those guards? What do I say?
"Oh, hi, just wanted to get some fresh air." ?
I make my way down the stairs to the dungeon at last, trying to be as light-footed as Natsume was, but every step sounds like hitting an empty pot with a big metal spoon to my ears. I get to the foot of the stairs and thank the heavens. The guards have fallen asleep. Pathetic.
Carefully I edge towards the one with the keys. Slowly, slowly. I reach for them, and as I grasp them, the guard seems to stir. I hold my breath and loosen the hold on the keys. He shifts his position then begins to snore. I almost laugh in relief, but put my hand up to my mouth to stop myself.
I finally get the keys off of the guard and make my way into the dungeon.
Looking into the cells the third time I panic. Where is Ruuka?
Three guesses which Alice Academy character the guy with chestnut colored hair in the painting is. XD
Oh and... I'm like Rachel Berry and Tinkerbell, I need reviews to live! So don't be stingy. Give me a review...please!