Hey, ya'll! Next chapter up and running, working on the next. Hope you've enjoyed the story so far. I feel as thought nothing has really taken place so far, but that's just me. I need your reviews to tell me otherwise (if you feel like that). Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy!
Baron's POV
We've been traveling for hours and there's still no sign of the paw-shaped landmark we've been searching for. Things were starting to get stressful; and I could tell that the other three felt the same.
"Do you two remember the exact way back to the Kingdom of Cats?" I asked the two felines. They both just exchanged looks with each other before the cloaked cat stated,
"I'm afraid not. We came here in such a rush, we didn't really pay much attention to our surroundings." I sighed and returned back to observing the area closely, searching for a sign.
"Baron!" Toto exclaimed. "Look there!" He gestured in a direction, and I immediately noticed what he was referring to.
"Right. Let's go, Toto." I said. He nodded and began his decent. When we reached our destination, we headed straight for the very castle which held one of the memories I will most definitely never forget. We walked up to the gate, confronting one of the guards in the process.
"State your business." The guard simply said. He looked over the group in front of him. "Wait…do I know you?" He said, looking straight at me. I smirked a bit before stating,
"You probably remember me as Baron Humbert von Gikkingen." Tipping my hat to the guard, I introduced myself as politely as possible. He just replied by gesturing for us to enter. We walked through the gate quickly, as the guard led the way. Each passing minute, as much as I tried to ignore the fact, I was getting more and more worried about Haru's well-being. I pride myself in my ability to compose myself in such situations, but it seems that she is making it much more difficult to do so.
When we reached a giant set of doors, the guard told us to wait outside, which didn't help with my current condition. I cringed at the thought that we could be going over how to help Haru. But I kept my composure when the guard came back out.
"King Lune will see you now." He simply said. I nodded, before we entered the large throne room. We walked up to said King and his wife, Queen Yuki. I took my hat off and bowed politely before them both.
"No need for formality, old friend." Said Lune. "It is nice to see you again." I looked back up at him.
"Likewise." I said with a smile. Yuki stepped forward a bit.
"Baron, how is Miss Haru doing?" She asked with a soft smile. I frowned a bit before saying,
"That is why we are here. I'm afraid Haru's been taken away…" I looked directly at Lune. "…by your father." Lune was a bit taken back at this statement. A heavy silence filled the room for quite a long time. Finally, Lune said,
"Ok, what do you propose we do?" The cloaked Cat stepped forward.
"If you would, sire, we are to believe he is at the old, abandoned castle." He said. "When Miss Haru returned those few months back, your father retired to the old Castle. I only followed him because I was certain he was going to retire and forget all about Haru and everything that happened…that wasn't the case. He immediately started forming a plan to kidnap Haru again, and planned on actually marrying her. I apologize, sire…I should have come to you about it." The old cat frowned in guilt.
"No, my friend. I understand completely. We just need to focus on the matter at hand." Lune stated. "Do you remember the way to the old castle? I'm afraid I wasn't around for the eviction of it." He asked. The old cat just nodded.
"Haru should be able to hold her own for a while, but not for long." I stated. "We have some time to conduct a plan, but not long." Lune nodded and gestured for me to follow him.
"Let's discuss things in private. We'll conduct a plan, and then reveal it to the rest of your group, as well as some of my finest soldiers...and a person who's been there under cover for quite sometime now." He suggested. I nodded and followed him to another room.
Haru's POV
I woke up to the door to the strange room opening and two female cats standing in the doorway. I recognized them immediately as the two felines that had put me in that yellow ball gown the first time I was in the Cat Kingdom.
"I see you're awake, Miss Haru!" Said the pink-colored feline. "It's almost time for the opening ceremony. We need to make sure you're dressed to the King's approval." I furred my eyebrows.
"Not like any king I've ever met…" I said monotonically. The two cats were a bit taken back at this statement.
"Um…we've brought a selection of dresses for you to choose from, Miss Haru." Said the purple-colored feline. She pulled in a rack of various ball gowns. I sighed at the selection but allowed them to dress me up like some common doll. When we were done, I was dressed in a simple black ball gown, with white gloves and a white flower in my hair.
"What do you think, Miss Haru?" Said the one cat, who was holding a mirror up to me. I looked into the mirror, and didn't recognize myself at all. I felt the same way I did when they dressed me up last time. I stared for quite a while, when another cat come to the doorway.
"Excuse me, Miss Haru?" She said. "It's time for the opening ceremony, if you're ready. The King is waiting for you." I didn't know what I was doing or why I was letting this happen. I should have ran when I had the chance, but instead I let the cat lead me down the hallway to the so-called 'dining hall'. The place was run-down, but cleaned up to look half-decent. There were multiple tables lined up along the walls, one that was particularly larger than the rest. I figured that was for me and the so-called 'king' I was supposedly marrying. There was music, and people dancing in the center of the room. It seemed all too familiar.
"Ah, Haru. Come, sit with me." Said my captor. I reluctantly went over to the table of which he was inhabiting. There were mountains of food all over the table. With the number of people there, I would have to guess that not everyone in the Kingdom of Cats was very happy to see their beloved king retire, so they followed him here. I sat down next to the large feline.
"Tell me…" I started. "What are you gaining from all of this?" He snickered.
"Well, I'm gaining a very lovely looking bride, that's for sure." He said, trying to sound sincere. I didn't like it at all.
"That's very flattering. But why are you really doing this?" I asked once again. His smile disappeared and he turned his head away from me. He then clapped his hands twice to one of his servants, signaling for entertainment. I was a bit more interested, considering this is about the time Baron came charging in saving me last time. I figured this wasn't the case this time though. He probably doesn't even know where I am...
As the entertainment went on for about another hour, I started getting tired. Then, a thought came to my mind.
"I wonder what time it is back home…" I thought to myself. Last time, it was past midnight when I was taken. I was gone for so long now, I'm sure that it's already almost morning back home.
"Are you enjoying yourself, my dear?" Said the cat. I looked over to him, and with a blank expression, nodded my head slowly. He snickered. "Good, because the main event is soon to come." He finished. I cringed at the thought of spending the rest of my life here.
"Baron…if things turn out for the worst…I want you to know that I will always love you. Always have, and always will…" I thought to myself.
"Excuse me, Miss Haru?" I heard a voice come from beside me.
"Yes? Can I help you?" I said. Just then, the cat beckoned for me to follow him. I looked over and made sure that the retired king wasn't looking, and followed the cat to another area where no one could hear us.
"Who are you, and how do you know me?" I asked as soon as we were in private.
"You don't remember? I guess you wouldn't considering I had a disguise those few hours ago. We shared the cell together." The brown-colored feline stated. My eyes widened at this statement.
"Mitsuo!" I exclaimed. He grinned widely. "But…how did you escape?" I asked, a bit confused as to why he was in a disguise. His face got serious.
"Forgive me, Haru. But I had to gain your trust somehow. I work for King Lune as an under-cover agent. He sent me here to investigate this abandoned castle because he heard rumors about someone now living here. I was only in the cell as a back-up for when the now-retired king throws prisoners into the cells."
"So…that story you gave about the King falling ill, was a lie?" I asked. He shook his head.
"No, that actually happened, but to another king in another life, along the family chain." He explained. "But, we don't have time for that now. I want you to listen to exactly what I'm about to tell you, and do exactly what I tell you. For Baron and the others are currently forming a plan to come find you." My eyes widened at this.
"Baron knows about me being kidnapped again?" I asked. He nodded.
"Apparently so. So, listen carefully." He said. I nodded and listened attentively. "I want you to go through with the marriage this evening." I was speechless. He's asking me to marry this over-competent cat anyway? "Don't worry. You won't actually get married to him. We have a plan. Just go along with everything and act like you're having a good time from here on out. Things will become clearer soon, I promise." I nodded in response. We noticed some people giving us odd looks.
"What will you be doing?" I asked. He grinned.
"You'll be seeing me fairly soon. But for now, go along with everything. See you soon." He winked at me, before making his way out of the hall again.
I made my way back over to the table again and sat down, trying to seem as cheerful as possible.
"What did you two talk about, my dear?" My 'future husband' asked. I just looked at him and smiled a genuine smile.
"He just wanted to congratulate me on my marriage to you, sir." I said with a smile. He just raised an eyebrow and shrugged it off. Good thing I'm able to blend in fairly well…but I don't know for how long.
"You better hurry up, Baron…This guy still gives me the creeps…" I thought to myself.
The rest of the night, we enjoyed watching special performances, and surprisingly didn't need to toss anyone out of a window. Then, there were trumpet sounds, as the former king stood from his chair and led me out of the room to the throne room of the castle.
"You wait out here until the ceremony begins, Haru." He said with a sneer. I was getting quite tired of this smile of his and just wanted to go home.
"Of course." I said, trying to sound cheerful. He went inside, shutting the doors behind him. I waited for what seemed like forever when my hand was grasped in a very firm grip and placed on someone's arm. I looked up to find Mitsuo.
"YOU'RE walking me down the aisle?" I asked, a bit happy to say the least that I at least was being escorted by someone I could trust. He grinned and nodded. Suddenly, music began to play from inside, and the doors opened. Just as this happened, Mitsuo knelt his head down and whispered,
"Just stay close, and when I say so, run right back out those doors. Don't stop for anyone." He instructed. I nodded my head slightly as we began our trek down the red carpet.
I know, weird ending, but I'm pretty satisfied with this chapter! Hope you guys feel the same! I'll be putting up my next chapter soon, if school and things don't interfere with it. Hope you enjoyed! R&R, comment and Criticize! Thanks! Ciao!