Judal decided that they had to get a bigger magic carpet when they got back. Maybe they'd find one in the 45th dungeon, if they had the spare time to make a grab for goods. His carpet was his, but too small, especially when he was carting around Al Tharmen guys and Kou royalty. Kouha had clung to his arm the whole way to the 39th dungeon, and a grim-faced Judal had refrained from shoving him off the carpet merely because he thought capturing the dungeon would have been hard for a prince with several broken bones.
Kougyoku tempted him in different ways.
At the beginning, she was prim and proper, clutching her sword with a sense of solemn duty. By the end of the first hour, she was bursting with joyful energy, leaning to and fro over the side of the carpet—in one instance, Judal had to yank her back by the hair. The princess was troublesome. But this was one of the sparse times she'd been able to actually leave court, so maybe her excitement was founded and somewhat understandable.
Not to mention the idea of capturing a dungeon was making her heart thrum and sing. Her pulse was wild. He knew because she was sitting too close, rubbing up against him. She pointed at sights below and asked too many questions, and Judal was habitually not serious about dungeon-capturing quests, but her prattling and her proximity made him want to focus.
His fifth king candidate—he was racking up power in scores, his Kou Empire was glorious. Even if this one was a little goofy, she could slit a man's throat with such enamoring ease. She had skill, she had determination, and she had the look he liked, the body language of someone seductively destructive. Once she harnessed the power of the 45th Djinn, he wanted to watch her level a town, tear the ground from under their feet, and leave wreckage in her wake.
He asked her to depend on him and said he'd rely on her in turn, now that she wasn't entirely a dumb little girl anymore. Her grin almost split her face, which he didn't quite comprehend but didn't dwell on. She was happy for the recognition, he supposed, and as far as he was concerned, the princess deserved it. He had no doubts that she could conquer the dungeon. She certainly had enough excess energy for it.
Her little right hand knotted up in his chunnari at his side, and she raised her left to point again. She trembled. "That's it, isn't it?"
She was shrilling. He made a show of covering his ears and sticking out his tongue, but she didn't notice, she was stuck on the sight of the dungeon. He had to yank her backwards again because she was leaning out too much. Maybe he'd have to keep an eye on her more than he thought, if excitement-addled carelessness became her means of operation. He kept his hand on the lush fabric, even as Ka Kobun shot a look at him from behind.
"That's it," he said finally, as the carpet lurched and descended. Instead of shrieking, Kougyoku cheered, throwing her hands up. She was treating this like a game, like a pleasure visit.
The dungeon didn't resemble a tourist spot, as far as he knew. It was nestled in the ocean just off the coast, and even from a bird's eye view it screamed danger and peril, all whirlpools and torrents, water rushing down its sides. It looked abandoned. It looked dark, and damp, and lonely.
"The 19th dungeon, Vinea," Judal said knowingly, gripping Kougyoku tighter. "The Djinn of Sorrow and Isolation. I thought it'd be perfect for you. Even the dungeon looks like it's weeping."
"That's poetic," she said, delighted rather than affronted. "You picked it out just for me?"
"It should be at your difficulty level, which isn't that low." He responded, almost pensive. "But you should still wait for your babysitters to show up." He meant the troops that would arrive by ship within the hour. They were not useful as anything but the first front, frail human shields. Kougyoku nodded, and leaned her head on his shoulder, studying the dungeon's curves, corners and arches with warm eyes.
The carpet lurched again.
"Careful," Judal hissed, since her head had banged against his arm. "You're ridiculous. Imagine your crushing defeat by head trauma before even entering the dungeon."
She didn't snap back; she was almost apologetic. "I will be more careful inside. I promise. Thank you, Judal-chan." It sounded like she was thanking him for his concern, and he immediately wanted to set her straight, but by then she had righted herself and sent a look over the water, over the dungeon. It was quiet awe.
"It's very beautiful," she murmured, and he thought that suited her, too.
But now was a time for ferocity. That was the highest form of beauty that there was. He patted her cheek to capture her attention. "Head up, eyes out. Fast fingers and sharp eyes. The djinn is yours." A pause. "So long as that guy doesn't pop out of nowhere."
Kougyoku's eyebrows pinched, curious rather than concerned. "What guy?"
Judal wondered if Sinbad could show up, and it pleased him as much as it revolted him—he was always in the way, a real road block he couldn't budge, but at least he was entertaining, and just watching him run when Judal blew up everything within a 30 yard radius was the zenith of fun. But Vinea was within the Kou Empire's borders, and Vinea was all Kougyoku's.
At least, that way, she didn't get to see the magi take a loss, and Judal didn't have to suffer another dock to his pride in front of someone who idolized him.
"Some nobody. Forget it." He clunked his fist on her head. "You're ready, aren't you? You're a born dungeon capturer. My taste is fucking impeccable."
Kougyoku slipped a look over her shoulder. Seeing that Ka Kobun was occupied watching the ship come in on the horizon, she snuggled in tighter, closer to Judal, her fist in his chunnari, as if it was safe. She didn't cling, she gripped. She felt security there. "Don't go too far." Her voice was not pleading so much as it was forceful, and Judal softened at that—his spine had been welded straight the second she closed in on him, and then he realized he was being dumb.
"Don't be a sissy." He gripped back and peeled her off his person in one rigid movement. "I know. My eyes will be on you." When you take the dungeon, I want to see.
ouch these two :T anyway, thanks for reading & everything! There's going to be one more drabbley bit in Cold Feet, Cold Hands, and then a one shot with these two in the future : I'm really looking forward to getting to that!