July 12, 2006

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except Prince Than, and his men. Oh, and some of the random Ohmu! Yeah Ohmu's!

Title: The Forest of Purity

Author: PurificationArrow

Rated: Kids to Teens

Genre: Romance/Action/Adventure

Summary: While in the Toxic Jungle, Nausicaä and Asbel start to realize feelings for each other. But they also find a strange tree that is protected by an electrical barrier. They also don't know that a new problem is stirring, someone is also after Nausicaä's heart, but who?

Couples: Duh, AsbelxNausicaä

Chapter Five: Reasoning

Last Chapter: Asbel narrowed his eyes. This must be the guy I heard talking about capturing Nausicaä when I touched that electric tree. But he also ordered for me to be killed. So why hasn't he done it yet, who is this, Prince Than?

A throbbing pain enveloped the back of her head as Nausicaä struggled to regain consiousness. Finally when she was somewhat able, she sat up from the bed looked around at the room in which she had been placed in. She began to think that for someone who had just been captured she was recieving very good treatment. But that brought her back to the fact that she had been captured.

Why, and where's Asbel?

Nausicaä pushed off from the silken sheeted bed and used the wall as support to keep her upright when her head began to swim. There was a window nearby, so she walked over there to see where she had been taken.

What she saw thoroughly surprised her. It was like a small town, yet far bigger than the Valley of the Wind's, but smaller than Pejite.

"What is this place?" She murmured to herself.

"This is the ancient kingdom of Harasa." At the voice she whirled around and saw the knight she had injured in her rage. He had discarded his armor and had black hair that went to his shoulders. Around his stomach was a were bands of white cloth.

"Harasa?" She whispered. That name, why does it seem so familiar? The princess struggled to remember where she had heard this place from. She heard cloth moving behind her, and she turned around and was surprised to see that the man was kneeling, "We are at your command Princess Nausicaä." Nausicaä gave him an uncomfertable look, "Please stand up." She said.

The man obeyed and stood.

"Where is your leader?" She asked. He looked at her, "He is in his quarters taking care of some things." Nausicaä nearly gasped as she remembered that Asbel was trapped somewhere here as well, "Where's Asbel?" Nausicaä demanded.

The soldier gave her a confused look, "Asbel milady?"

Nausicaä fought off the urge to stomp her foot, "Asbel, he's the Pejite. Where do you have him?" The man thought for a moment, "Ah yes. I believe I know who you are talking about. Please, follow me."

He turned around and opened the door; Nausicaä bit her lip and followed cautiously.

They began walking down halls, and down stairs until they reached what seemed like the basement. There were several dark celled rooms, and the knight began to walk down to the far one.

Nausicaä followed him, and ran up to the bars when she saw Asbel inside with his head in his hands.

She grabbed the bars and shouted, "Asbel!" Asbel's brown head perked up when he heard Nausicaä's voice. He scrambled up from the bench and ran to the bars, "Nausicaä! Are you alright, did they hurt you?"

The princess smiled, relieved, "Yes, I'm alright. What about you Asbel?" The Pejite grunted, "I'll be fine." Nausicaä turned around and looked at the knight that had been watching, "Release him!" She said. The man shook his head, "I'm afraid that I cannot do that Princess-" "Please." Nausicaä begged. The man sighed and reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys.

He went forth and slid a key into the lock, he turned it, and there was an electrical buzzing, then the lock fell away and the doors opened.

Asbel walked out of the cell sending an untrusting look the knight's way. "Where are we?" Asbel asked Nausicaä. She looked at the knight, "He says that we are in the Harasa Kingdom."

Asbel rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Harasa... that name sounds familiar."

"It should. It is the land that was first taken over by the Toxic Jungle." The three turned around and saw a relatively tall man standing in the doorway. Asbel bristled, "You!" There was nothing more that Asbel wanted at this time to attack that man.

Nausicaä looked from the man to Asbel and back. "Who are you?" She asked in a loud voice.

"I am Prince Than. Ruler of Harasa, and I am assuming you are Princess Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, correct?" He approached, and stopped in front of Nausicaä. The hairs on the back of Asbel's neck rose in anger.

The Valley of the Wind's princess looked at Than with a regal gleam in her eye, "I am Nausicaä. Let me ask this, why have you taken us here?" She asked.

Than chuckled, "Very well, I will tell you what you need to know. But the dungeon is not a place to discuss such... important matters." With that he turned around, his cape waving behind him. The knight seemed to come out of his frozen state as soon as Prince Than exited the dungeon. "Follow me." He simply said, and left for the door.

Nausicaä took a breath and began to follow when Asbel grabbed her arm, "Wait Nausicaä, he was right. I remember reading about this place when I was young. This really was the first place that was consumed by the Toxic Jungle. But if so, did they survive all this time inside the jungle? And how did they get this technology, all this electricity." Nausicaä looked at the surroundings, "I'm not sure Asbel, but we have to find out as much as we can about this place."

Asbel nodded, and released her arm. They followed after the knight and the prince without another word to each other.

---

They had been lead to a room with a table in the center, most likely a room that had been used for negotiations. And so it would be used as such again.

Than was already sitting in a chair, and the knight standing right next to him. He motioned to the chair on the other side of the long table, "Please, sit." Nausicaä obeyed, but kept her eyes on the Prince.

Asbel stood next to Nausicaä like the knight was doing.

"Let's begin, shall we?" Than asked in a smooth voice that sent a shiver down Nausicaä's spine. "Why have we been brought here?" Nausicaä asked, her brown eyes surveying the prince.

Prince Than folded his hands in front of him, "We have some conditions that we would like to discuss with the Valley of the Wind's ruler as well as Pejite's."

Nausicaä's eyes narrowed, "You're lying." She murmured, her eyes becoming cold and angry.

Than laughed, "You are good. I would not expect anything less, Princess Nausicaä." "So then tell me the truth." Nausicaä demanded, impatience nipping at the edges of her voice. "I am sure that you know some of the history of my land, am I correct?" Than asked.

"Yes, we do." Nausicaä confirmed.

"What you have read is not all of our past. After a certain point, our race supposedly vanished. But as you can see, that is not the case." Than stood and walked to the window and stared out at it."I must admit though, that we are indeed on the path of dying. My people are dying from sickness, plagues, and old age. We also have another problem. If you would look out the window please."

Nausicaä stood up and with Asbel they looked out the window and were startled at what they saw.

People were walking by, dirt and mud covered their clothes and face. Old and young walked by, but past that was what the problem had come to be.

"There are no women." Nausicaä murmured. "Yes." Than nodded, "Our women have all died because they were not able to stand up to the toxins of the jungle. Only the men were strong enough to survive, but as you can see, our condition is rapidly decreasing."

Asbel glared at Than, "And how does this tie in with us?"

Than looked at Asbel from out of the corner of his eye, "It does no concern you, Prince Asbel. You were an extra item that was not meant to be picked up, however, it does conern Princess Nausicaä."

At the mention of her name, Nausicaä's fists tightened, "What is my part in this?" She asked him.

Than grinned, "I am glad you asked." He said. Than turned and approached Nausicaä who stood her ground and watched Than. Asbel behind her gritted his teeth.

He reached up and touched her chin with his hand; Nausicaä didn't move away, but she flinched the instant he touched her skin. "I need you to help bring stronger women into my land. You are not affected by the slightly toxic air within our kingdom. So it is my belief that your children will be the strongest, and we can rebuild our land."

At that point, Asbel had, had more then enough.

He moved in front of Nausicaä, "So you're saying that she is just a reproducer!" He snapped, his voice slightly rising.

Than shook his head, "No, she is more than that. You certainly have noticed Prince of Pejite. She is a very beautiful, kind, and caring woman. Just what this kingdom... and I both need."

---

So? Did you like it? Sorry, I took so long to write this chapter, actually, it's taking me a long time to write other chapters too. Oh well, they'll get done eventually.

-PurificationArrow