Disclaimer: I do not own Kyo Kara Maoh or any of its characters
Claimer: I, chop4tess, own this story, its plot and any and all original characters
Eight chapters already…wow, I'm on a roll!
Chapter 8: Rescue plans
Alviss fixed his blond wig and stared at his reflection. Elvira had done a good job on him; he doubted Ryan would even recognise him now. His hair was blond and pulled back into a bun and his eyes were green. He was wearing a pale blue servant dress 'borrowed' from the person who had been wearing it before. The two girls he and Elvira had captured were tied up next door. They were terrified but unhurt. Alviss felt bad about capturing them but it was a necessary evil.
"Ready Alviss?"
"Yeah, but Elvira," Alviss frowned at her and she raised an eyebrow. "Why do I have to wear a dress?"
"Because it was easier to capture two women then to capture a man." Elvira said simply brushing her hands over her own pale blue dress and fixing her brown wig. She smirked at Alviss her now hazel eyes glinting. "Besides, I think it looks good on you." Alviss sighed and Elvira laughed.
"Whatever, let's go." Alviss walked out the door and Elvira followed still grinning. They walked beside each other down the alleyway.
"Can't you walk more like a girl Alviss?" Elvira hissed and Alviss sighed heavily. Ryan I hope you appreciate what I go through for you.
:-:
Ryan sat on a stone bench feeling the coldness pressing against his legs and back. He stared up at the starry sky. One day, I will remember everything. Ryan leaned forward and sighed rubbing his face. Why do I feel like I have to be someplace? Ryan shook his head. I'm in the place I need to be. So why do I feel like this?
"Hey Ryan, are you ok?" Ryan glanced up to see Henry smiling at him. Ryan tried to smile back although it came out more like a grimace. Ryan slid over and Henry sat next to him.
"I just feel like I have to be someplace." Ryan said quietly and Henry nodded but didn't say anything. Ryan listened to the wind flowing through the trees its gentle rustling soothing.
"Father's talking about going to war." Henry suddenly said making Ryan glance at him. "Father says that we've been under the thumb of the demons for too long. He says it would be insulting to all who died if we didn't solve this."
"But, why do we need to fight them? Couldn't we talk to them instead?" Ryan asked his eyes worried and Henry sighed heavily.
"Some things cannot be solved with talking." Ryan opened his mouth to argue but suddenly say up straight. "What is it Ryan?" Ryan stared into the distance for a moment.
"He's here."
"Who's here?"
"I don't know, but I have to go to him." Ryan stood up and Henry jumped up and grabbed him.
"Calm down Ryan." Henry gasped when he saw that Ryan's green eyes had turned blue and glazed, as if he was seeing something far away. "Ryan, Ryan wake up! You're scaring me." Ryan shook himself and his eyes faded back to green. He blinked and looked around.
"What, what happened?"
"I have no idea." Henry said truthfully.
:-:
"I can't believe that worked." Alviss whispered to Elvira in amazement. They had walked up to the guards, shown them their papers and walked straight in. Alviss had thought that they may need to sweet talk their way in but it couldn't have gone smoother.
"Don't get excited yet, we have to find Ryan." Elvira whispered back and glanced around. "We have to look like we know where we're going."
"Right," Alviss whispered although he had no idea where they were going or where Ryan was. They walked across the courtyard heading for the main doors and slipped inside.
"Ok Alviss, you go left and I'll go right if you find anything tell Sliver and she'll pass it on to me. If we're found out just run like hell and don't worry about me."
"Same goes for you." Alviss said sternly and Elvira winked before walking down the corridor as if she belonged there. Alviss glanced around before turning left and walking away. Neither of them saw a figure materialise from the shadows watching them walk away before disappearing again.
:-:
David was standing in front of the cages which held four creatures which where currently tearing the flesh off the bones of a dead cow. The sound of flesh ripping and bones being crushed filled the room along with the smell of blood and other bodily fluids. Without looking around David raised his head and called out, "Come out of the shadows Kage." David turned to his left as a woman stepped out of the shadows and smirked.
"It's impossible to hide from you isn't it?" Her voice was soft but her eyes were cold and deadly. She had pale skin which contrasted with her black eyes and hair; there was a stillness around her that made you want to cower in fear. David however, seemed unaffected by her presence.
"Have you something to report Kage?"
"Two people have entered the castle; they are not part of the normal servants. They spilt up in the main corridor."
"New recruits perhaps?"
"They said they were going to find the Prince of the demons." David made a thoughtful noise in the back of his throat as he considered his possibilities. Kage and the three others will not be necessary for this, David thought to himself. He turned back to Kage; her eyes glinted with the expectation of a fight.
"Send word to the guards that we have demons in our mist. You and the others make sure that they don't escape. Oh, and send Kirai to keep an eyes on our friend, we don't want him running off now do we?" Kage bowed.
"As you wish master." She stepped into the shadows and vanished. David turned on his heel towards the metal door which would lead him back upstairs.
:-:
Alviss was on the second floor carrying a mop and bucket in one hand. After a run-in with a senior maid who had gotten angry with him for not doing any work and wandering around 'like some lost ghost' he had picked up the mop and bucket and hadn't been stopped since. Alviss was walking down a dimly lit passage with almost floor to ceiling windows set at regular intervals on the left side. Alviss glanced out of one such window and raised an eyebrow at the extensive garden that was visible from his vantage point.
It's pretty, not quite as nice as the one back home but nice all the same. Alviss was about to turn away when something caught his eye. Two figures where sitting on a stone bench in the garden talking together. It was hard to see them in the poor light provided by the flickering torches but he could see that one had black hair. Alviss hesitated then shook his head, there's no way that could be Ryan. They wouldn't let him wander around the gardens he would try to escape. Alviss watched as a solider ran up to the two people and said something that Alviss couldn't hear. One boy, with fancy clothes and short brown hair stood up to address the guard. The guard saluted the turned to run in the direction he had come form. The other boy then got up as well and stepped into a pool of light. Alviss let go of the bucket in shock, it fell to the floor with an ear-splitting clang, water splashing onto the floor and the mop striking the cold stone with a clatter
"Ryan."
:-:
"Master Henry!" A soldier ran towards Henry and Ryan who glanced up in surprise. The soldier skidded to a halt and saluted them.
"What is it?"
"Demons are attacking the castle Sir!" Henry jumped to his feet and Ryan's eyes went wide.
"What! How did they get past the guards?"
"They dressed like two of our servants, they're somewhere in the castle."
"Find them and kill them at once!" Henry ordered and the soldier saluted him again before turning and running away.
"What are demons doing here?" Ryan stood up and walked up to Henry glancing away. Why do I feel like I should go to them?
"Who knows? Let's go." Henry grabbed Ryan's hand and ran back into the castle. They ran to the throne room and burst through the doors.
"Henry and Ryan thank goodness you are ok." The Lord smiled and his guards shut the doors. David was in the throne room as well and he nodded at them. "I have guards posted all over the castle, we will catch these demons."
"Could, could I speak with them?" Ryan asked and the Lord blinked and David narrowed his eyes.
"What do you mean?" The Lord asked.
"I wish to speak with the demons before they are killed." Ryan could feel the pull getting stronger, the demons were close and Ryan just knew he had to talk to them alone.
"Not possible, they might attack you; these demons are a fickle lot."
"Possible or otherwise I will speak with them once they are captured. I can assure you that I can handle them." Ryan raised his head and stared defiantly at the Lord who seemed lost for words. David smirked; oh he's a prince all right.
"But Ryan," Henry started but Ryan gave him a look and Henry shut his mouth again. Ryan was about to say something when he suddenly collapsed holding his left shoulder gasping for air. "Ryan!"
:-:
Alviss growled as the dress nearly tripped him up almost sending him flying down the stairs. The guards were close behind him and Alviss didn't know the castle as well as they did. Alviss leapt down the last three stairs and almost ran right into someone wearing a dress just like his.
"Elvira!" Elvira's wig had come off and there was a cut on her arm but other than that she seemed ok.
"Come on, we gotta get out of here!" Elvira grabbed Alviss's arm and they ran down the corridor together.
"There they are! Stop them!" Alviss gritted his teeth as the guards pounded down the hallway after them.
"Elvira, I saw Ryan!" Elvira glanced at him but didn't stop running. "He was in the garden talking to someone; I don't understand how come he didn't try to run away?" Alviss panted and Elvira shook her head.
"I don't know, but we can't save him now, let's get out of here before we end up with extra holes in us."
:-:
"Ryan?" Henry reached forward and managed to catch him before he hit the ground his eyes rolling back in his head. "What happened?" Henry glared at David who smiled and strode forward. He bent down and pulled a tiny sliver needle from Ryan's shoulder.
"It's just a sleep-inducing drug so he won't get in the way you understand." David turned to the wall and smiled. "You can show yourself now Kirai." Henry suppressed a shudder as one of David's henchman stepped out of the shadows. He had pale skin, black hair and cold blue eyes like chips of ice. He was dressed all in black, like his fellow cohort's.
"You had one of them following us?" Henry asked his lip curling in displeasure. Kirai turned his gaze to Henry and Henry shivered.
"I thought Kirai could be useful if the boy tried to run away."
"You know how I feel about these, experiments, of yours David." Lord Eric frowned and David turned to him.
"They have many uses my Lord, and they are more loyal than any of your soldiers." The Lord made a noise as if to disagree with David but didn't say anything. David nodded at Kirai.
"Take the boy downstairs to the lab, we must start testing again."
"Testing?" Henry glared at Kirai as he bent to pick Ryan up but Kirai either didn't notice or didn't care. Henry suspected the latter.
"It is none of your concern Prince. Just get the soldiers ready to march in a couple of days." With that, David left with Kirai following behind, carrying Ryan bridal-style in his arms. Henry stood up and watched them leave.
"I don't trust him." His father glanced at his son then back at the door. He didn't have to ask who his son was talking about.
:-:
"Elvira!" Alviss skidded to a halt and ran back for Elvira. Blood pumped out of a wound in her left leg. Elvira pulled a knife out of a sheath hidden under her dress and tore the ends of her dress off.
"Get going already!" Elvira hissed tying some strips of the dress around her leg to steam the bleeding.
"I am not leaving you behind Elvira!"
"If we both die here then who's going to save Ryan?"
"I didn't come here to save Ryan only to lose you. You're both important to me!" Alviss yelled and Elvira stared at Alviss.
"There they are!" A voice shouted and Alviss pulled Elvira to her feet. Elvira wrapped and arm around his shoulders and they ran together. We have to get out of here. Elvira thought to herself, we can't save Ryan like this. An arrow whistled through the air and buried itself in Alviss's chest.
"Alviss!" Elvira caught him before he hit the ground staring at the wound. Blood spread over his shirt staining the fabric red. His eyes rolled up as he passed out from pain and shock. Elvira pulled him into a room shutting the door behind her and locking it. Within seconds the guards were pounding of the door trying to open it. Elvira ignored them as she tore the rest of her dress into strips and with shaking hands, padded it around the arrow in Alviss's chest and tying it in place. She closed her eyes in defeat biting her lip to prevent the sob that rose in her throat from escaping. She couldn't call Sliver; she would be shot down within seconds. Elvira raised her head and glanced at the door; the guards where trying to break it down but the strong wood held firm.
"Quick this way!" A voice hissed making Elvira jump. She looked around and saw an old man with white hair and bright blue eyes watching her. He was holding a trap door up with his hand.
"Who…?"
"No time to explain now, if you want to live I suggest you pick up your friend and follow me." Elvira hesitated then grabbed Alviss, hooking her arms under his shoulders she pulled him backwards to the trapdoor were the old man was waiting. "Hurry hurry." He whispered. Elvira jumped beside him and pulled Alviss down with her. He was heavy and her knees almost buckled under his weight but she just managed to stay on her feet. The little man shut the trapdoor and slid a bolt across. He grinned at Elvira. "You ok?"
"No. Who are you? Where are we going?"
"We're getting out but we must hurry or the Riders will find you and your friend."
"What do you mean by Riders?"
"I'll explain later, come on follow me." The old man hurried away and Elvira heaved Alviss into her arms, her muscles screaming in protest, and followed him. They soon left the sounds of the guards behind as Elvira followed the old man through a series of hidden tunnels. He seemed to know were he was going but Elvira was lost in seconds. Alviss's weight slowed her down and the fact that the tunnel was only just wide enough for them both made things more difficult. It was almost pitch black in the tunnels, the only light coming from cracks in the walls here and there. The tunnel seemed to go on forever and Elvira wasn't sure how long she could support Alviss's extra weight.
"Is…it much….further?" Elvira panted her arms and back aching.
"Shh, no but keep quite or someone will hear you." Elvira nodded and stumbled on, sheer will power being the only thing that kept her going. They soon came to a dead end and Elvira was afraid that the old man had gotten lost. He reached out however, and pushed at the wall which opened and fresh air rushed into the room drying the sweat on Elvira's brow. The old man jumped out and gestured for her to follow. Elvira put Alviss down and jumped out before reaching to drag him out behind her. Not for the first time she was very glad he was too out of it to feel anything. A horse and cart laden with straw was waiting outside. Elvira glanced up and saw to her surprise that they were outside the castle walls. The old man waved to her and she nodded. She pulled Alviss into the back of the cart and covered him with the straw making sure he could still breathe. Elvira burrowed into the straw as well as the old man got onto the cart and clicked his tongue. The old horse moved off at a slow lumbering pace the cart's old wooden wheels sounding like a small thunderstorm as they ran over the cobbles. Elvira bit her lip and prayed to every god out there that Alviss would be ok and they would get some place safe.
*End Chapter*
So the first rescue plan doesn't work. Don't count these two out just yet though! Review please ^_^