Chapter 2
Homecoming
Rising mightily from the earth, a great mountain thrust from the sea, defying the storm and rain, shielding the land with it's eternal vigilance. It stood right along the coast of the once mighty Lands of the Wolf, shadowing a magnificent castle from the elements of the sea. Facing out over the stormy waters stood a crag of stone, the weather sculpting it into the visage of a snarling wolf, calling out a challenge against the forces of the mistress of the sea.
Just in the lee of this monumental formation, a harbor stood, battered and weathered by the storm that washed against the mountain. This was the capitol city of the Kingdom of Ookami, expanding outward from the side of the mountain, thousands of lights spilling forth from it's base, where the granite fortress of the evil King Davian stood high on the hillside.
Within it's courtyard, a thousand men wearing black cloaks and tricorn hats stood, each with a blank, empty face. Though the rain came down like a torrent, not one motion, even a nervous twitch, could be seen among their ranks. High over their heads, Nemo's brother Prince Conall stood, watching their motionless forms with disdain. Stepping off the balcony and out of the rain, he swept off his coat, throwing it about the back of a large, ornate chair as he passed, water still dripping from the tricorn hat that he wore.
"Pitiful! These men may have the discipline of the Crow over them, but they are worthless as fighters!" He snarled at an old, crinkled figure sitting in another ornate chair within the room, right across a large table with a scale map of the kingdom thrusting up from it's surface.
"If my brother makes it back, who knows what damage he could do to our progress!" Rage filled his eyes as he picked up a box with miniaturized soldiers set carefully within it. Throwing it across the dark, spacious room, he sat heavily in his seat.
"You should retain your dignity, my Prince." The old, hunchbacked lady cackled at him, smiling in a black toothed grin. "After all, he is doing just what I told you he would. Even without the power to see him, he is only a young man, impulsive and reckless. Besides, he is bringing your bride, Utena Tenjou here."
"What!? Why didn't you tell me this earlier!?" Conall stood, thrusting himself from his seat, his hands hitting the table under him. Placing one hand on his chin, he began pacing, his mind racing as to how he might take advantage of this. "We need to set up some kind of trap, so we may take the Princess from that mangy cur. If only-"
Conall paused, staring up at a large picture upon the wall. Watching him from where she hung, her beauty captured on cloth for eternity, hung the Queen's lovely face. She was a beautiful creature, with long locks of red hair that framed her heart shaped face, and her forest green eyes seemed to burrow deep into the soul of her son. He hated the picture, and all that his mother had represented to him, but no matter how much he wanted to remove it, her eternal face remained, and he was unwilling to have it touched.
"Heeheehee, your mother always was quite the charmer! Too bad you love her despite yourself, or else you might have had that thing burned with the rest of her belongings!" The witch laughed in her reedy, hollow voice, watching the Prince confront the image of his deceased parent.
Unable to remain in her presence, he paced hastily across the room to a large mirror that hung on the far wall. He heaved a sigh of relief, looking into the mirror at his own reflection, admiring the beauty he saw. He had short, golden hair that rippled like waves on the sea, his captivating emerald eyes shining gleefully. Looking down at his jacket, he scowled, seeing rainwater had discolored a part of the sand colored fabric.
Clapping his hands, he held out his arms while a pair of young ladies in simple dresses embroidered with gold quickly hurried up, pulling the wet garment from his chest. One of the girls kissed and caressed his bare flesh while the other retrieved an identical one from a walk in closet near the mirror.
The old witch watched in amusement at the girls' fawning antics, shaking her head at their willingness to be placed in his power. Strings hung down, attaching to the two girls as they continued to fawn over their Prince, turning the whole charade into a puppet show for the ancient woman. She looked reprovingly at him as he plucked or pulled their strings with his eyes and hands, toying with them. Finally finished, they retreated, pulled into the dark ceiling above by the strings.
"Are you done playing, my Prince?" She asked with amused scorn in her voice.
"Yes, that was quite refreshing." He replied, showing ignorance in the face of the witch's irritation. "Now on to business, gaining a bride and killing an animal."
***
"Hey sis, what are they doing?" A small boy asked, pointing over at the docks. Several of the black clad soldiers were carrying crates up to the pier, setting them down all along it.
"I don't know, but it seems awfully weird. Let's go see!" The young lady responded, smiling mischievously at her little brother. They waited quietly, watching as the soldiers left the crates all along the weather worn docks. The girl gazed about for any sign of the men, but the docks had been cleared, leaving no one about to witness their meddling. Hurrying through the rain, the two siblings held a hefty hemp blanket over their heads, making their way up to the strange crates.
"Hey, they're open!" Cried the boy in delight, reaching into the box. "And look, they're full of food!" He withdrew his hands, pulling out a potato and an ear of corn.
A flood of mortal fear suddenly hit the girl. "Put the food back, Cray! We need to go, now!" She gripped her little brother's wrist, turning to run, but was stopped in her tracks. Two faceless soldiers approached, swords drawn.
Harsh, empty laughter assaulted her ears as the men closed with her, hands outstretched to take both her and her brother away. Thinking quickly, she pushed Cray into the food box, throwing the blanket over the top of it.
"Aaah!" She squealed as one of the men grabbed a tangled mass of her sand colored hair, dragging her backwards into a puddle of rainwater.
"This girl will make a fine addition to the Prince's attendants." The soldier grasping her hair said, looking down at her with an empty black face.
"Hopefully he won't mind us having some fun with her first!" The second one said, his voice sending shivers down the girl's spine.
Enjoying their cruel joke, the soldiers began heading into the dark, looming city, dragging the poor girl behind them. She screamed in pain, trying desperately to release herself from their cold strength, but all it did was amuse them.
Sad, empty eyes peered around cracked doors and shutters opened just enough to see. The people of Ookami watched in helpless sorrow as the girl was dragged off. They had all been subject to the terrible oppression of their King, and dared not help anyone touched by his Black Guard, for fear that the same would happen to them.
One old woman turned from her window, looking down into the guttering fire that sat in the cooking circle on the floor. "Oh mercy, mercy on that poor girl, and on all of us." She prayed in a feeble voice, putting her hands and head on the floor. "God save us from this horror, bring us a hero..." Her voice trailed off under the pounding rain that battered the city.
In the harbor, a sailing ship nosed it's way up to the docks through the curtains of rain, it's prow bumping the wooden pier as it finally came to a stop.
***
Saionji hopped down from the ship, looking about in the gloom and rain, a heavy cloak blanketing him, several long strands of his curly green hair plastered to his face. Gripping one of the thick head ropes, he pulled it over to a large, anvil-shaped object that was secured to the dock.
"Ah, this infernal rain doesn't want to let up, does it?" He grumbled, pulling the knot tight. A sound suddenly caught his attention. He rose from his task, making his way towards the small sound. Coming up to a large wooden crate, he peered under a blanket that had been set upon it. A young boy, no more than ten years of age, was curled up inside, crying.
"Are you okay?" He asked, sympathy and concern in his voice.
"Th-they t-took my sister, Am-Ambrosia." The boy stuttered through tears, looking up at Saionji. "They're gonna hu-hurt h-her, then t-take her to the castle. I'll never see her again!" Cray burst into a fresh gush of tears, spilling them over the corn and potatoes.
A look of resolution grew on Saionji's face as the nobility borne of him set a light in his chest. "Where did they go?" He asked, looking down at the teary eyed youth.
"Th-that way, to the King's road." He said, regaining some of his composure. "But you can't help h-her, they'll kill you!"
Standing up, he gave the child a kindly smile. "A wise man once said that courage is not measured in the size of a man, but in the way he lived. I'll get your sister back." Growing more resolute, he took off through the rain, leaving the boy staring in wonder at what he had just seen.
"That man, he wasn't like the others! Could he be a Prince!?"
***
At first, the old witch hardly cared that a strange face had appeared in her mind. It happened often enough to leave her without concern. The boy in the box was of little importance to her either. It was his final words, however, that sent a spike of fear running in her, turning her blood to ice. Did he say Prince!? No, that isn't possible! They would have to get in through the harbor, and I would have seen the ship if they had!
She rushed as fast as her bent frame would allow, making her way over to Conall's balcony. Her old eyes stared out across the city, it's millions of lights glinting like stars under her old eyes. Then she saw something that brought terror into her. A lone ship sat rocking softly in the harbor, undetected by her magic.
"Amu ragu kiga na!" The old witch chanted, closing her near blind old eyes. The sight of her mind opened, revealing a hemp blanket and a young man sitting in the box above her. They covered my eyes! They hid the ship from me!? No, it must have been a coincidence! I must warn the Prince!
Her eyes snapped open wide as she rushed her rheumy old body out into the corridor, shouting as loud as her voice could manage. "Prince Conall! Prince Conall! They're here! Hurry!"
Conall was bathing in a large silver tub, his shoulders being gently massaged by a lovely marionette girl. He was finally able to relax, his breath calming as he thought about what he would do after he was done.
A man walked up with a cheese grater and a chalk board, and began to rub them vigorously against each other. Slipping and thrashing in the tub, he managed to drag himself out, wrapping a towel about him as the witch's voice assaulted his ears.
"What!? Why didn't you warn me they were coming sooner? I would have had the men at the docks!" He shouted angrily, glaring as the witch threw open the door to the bath.
"By some trick of your brother, they hid the ship from my eyes and ears as they entered the dock!" The old witch rasped, lying through her teeth.
"We have to hurry, before they escape the ship!" Conall said, turning to his attendant. "Fetch me the Knight Captain, and hurry!"
With a nod, the girl vanished into the shadows, leaving him alone with the witch. "It looks like I'll be cleaning up your mess, Althea! Pray you do not suffer for this failiure!"
***
The two guards dragging Ambrosia through the mud were completely caught off-guard by Saionji's attack. His katana held with the point down and to his right, he charged at the girl's tormentors, cutting cleanly through the back of the overshadowed figure. As the man crumpled to the ground, his lifeless fingers slid free of Ambrosia's hair.
His companion turned, his sword making it halfway from it's sheath before Saionji struck his blade, snapping it off near the hilt. Staggering back in surprise, the soldier took a long look at his broken sword, then back up at the mysterious attacker before him.
Saionji rose his blade again, ready for a counterattack. "Come at me if you dare, but I wouldn't recommend it!"
Cowardice overtook the man, and he turned, running as fast as his legs could carry him down the road. Flicking the blade clean of blood, Saionji returned it to his sheath, then walked up to the girl laying in the mud, offering his hand to her.
Ambrosia wasn't sure if she were seeing a real person, or an angel. His face was so bright and noble, like the kind of men who lived in stories. She took his hand, and he drew her to her feet, brushing her off with one elegant hand. Completely taken and lost for words, she fell against his chest, crying tears of joy.
Taken aback, Saionji was about to recoil, when he noticed people opening their doors and windows, looks of awe and tears of joy spilling from their eyes. Unsure of what to do, he tried to think of something, anything, he could do to get out of this awkward position. Touga, what would you do in a situation like this? A thought suddenly occurred to him, and in a soft, firm motion, he swept Ambrosia into his arms and began to walk back to the harbor.
He had made it about three steps when the mud under his feet slipped, depositing both him and his passenger into the muck. "Ahh, my clothes!"
He looked at his mud-stained uniform in irritation, then noticed he was being watched by the girl. She smiled at him, her face glowing at his embarrassment. Trying to retain his dignity, he rose again, picking her up and carrying her on to the docks below.