Disclaimer: Alas my undying love for Clamp hasn't been enough to earn me the right to take credit for their characters. Ah well, I guess I'll have to make due with Kakyou and Kamui, who at this very moment are tied up in my closet, praying that the next time they see daylight, they won't beforced to join me in anymore of my weirdo adventures and shinaniggens. (Did I speel that right?)
On a boat in the middle of the ocean…
It had been two days since Subaru and Kamui had woken up on a boat sailing for a prison somewhere overseas with them and three other inmates in the cargo hold. When we last saw these two downtrodden young men, they were being sized up by their three charming, large and menacing looking inmates like lunch, and after hearing Kamui's story, Subaru came up with a plan of escape. Now we find our heroes huddled together, bidding their time until they could escape. Let us watch…
"So, what you're saying is that this Sakurazukamori guy was a friend of yours?"
"I really wouldn't call him a friend…" Suabaru muttered, shifting uncomfortably under the young king's scrutinizing gaze.
"Then what would you call him?" Kamui pressed, eyeing the squirming mage like a hungry leopard stalking its prey.
"A… person…" Subaru mumbled the rest under his breath.
"What?" Kamui demanded and cuffed a hand over one of his ears and leaned closer to Subaru. "We can't hear you."
Suabru glared, "I said he's more than just a friend!" He snapped, and Kamui smirked with glee.
"There, now was that so bad?" He asked, grinning from ear to ear at the green eyed mage, who promptly returned it with a sulking pout.
"Yes, it was," Subaru complained, and turned and pointed to the shorter man of the three in front of them, who was missing his teeth. "How come he didn't have to answer you?"
Kamui looked at the man with missing teeth then back at Subaru with an 'isn't it obvious?' look.
"Because, Moose is very sensitive about his missing teeth," He whispered, gesturing to the man with no teeth, who continued to stare at the two bishis like they were fresh meat.
Subaru sweat-dropped, "How does that figure?"
"Because he doesn't talk," Kamui answered matter-of-factly.
"But neither do Timothy and Bob," Subaru pointed out, pointing first at the bald man with half of an ear missing, then to the extremely hairy man in the middle.
Kamui paused at this information, "That's true."
Just then, they heard hurried foot steps and shouting above them. Kamui frowned, "What's going on?"
Subaru frowned as well and shrugged, "Your guess is as good as mine."
As they strained to hear what the crew above them was saying, the door leading up to the deck opened, spilling bright light in the small dimly light holding cargo hold that the five inmates were in. The prisoners flinched and shielded their eyes as best as they could, Kamui hissed like a cat and Subaru groaned as he began to feel a headache coming on.
A crew member ducked through the door and called, "Good news ladies, we've reached the prison!"
Kamui blinked as his eyes began to adjust to the light of day and asked, "What time is it?"
The crew member snorted, "Why, it's not like it'll matter to you anyway. You'll be wasting away in a cell for a while, now won't you?"
Kamui opened his mouth to reply but Subaru shot the crew man a glare and snapped, "Either unchain us and take us up, or get out and close the door!"
The crew member narrowed his eyes and stuck his tongue out at him and called for back up. Four others met him and they descended down into the cargo hold. The first crew member stopped at Kamui and smirked, "Hey love, how's the brutes been treatin' ya?"
Kamui narrowed his eyes but didn't answer as the crew mate crackled at his own words and unlocked his shackles from the large log in the middle and dragged him to his feet. He let out a yelp as his legs—which haven't been used in two days—gave out from under him. The crew members ignored him and dragged him out as the man moved to Subaru.
"Looks like you survived as well, eh Mr. Sakurazukamori?" He snickered, as Subaru gave him a look of death, but he too stayed quiet. Both he and Kamui had already learned that the crew members found their shouts hilarious and decided that they would refuse to give them the satisfaction of hearing them shout their complaints. Sadly, it didn't stop the crew mates from trying to egg them on every time they saw them.
The man unchained Subaru and jerked him up and passed him to a crew mate behind him as he moved on to 'Moose'. Like Kamui, Subaru stumbled and was ignored and dragged up to the deck where he blinked in the sun light. Once his eyes adjusted, he looked up to see four huge black stone towers looming before them. They all had to be at least nine stories tall! They were arranged in a square formation and connected by four five story black stone walls. A few barred windows dotted the tower's walls, and he spotted a few crows perched up on the lower ones as they surveyed the people below. A metal gate guarded the only entrance, with four guards on each side of it, standing at attention side by side. They watched a line of new inmates like hawks as they shuffled past them.
As he watched them, one thing flitted through Subaru's mind. 'Wow, what a dump.'
"Oi, start moving," The crew mate who had to stand guard of him snapped, and shoved him after Kamui as the other crew members led 'Timathy', 'Bob', and 'Moose' single file off the boat ramp. Subaru stumbled but quickly caught himself and fell in behind Kamui, shooting a killing glance over his shoulder.
The five inmates shuffled off the boat and stopped for a minute as two other inmates shuffled up behind Subaru. One had short blond hair and greenish blue eyes that shone with mischief and a slight smile to match. He was about Subaru's height, with an average build. He wore a brown cloak and a tan shirt and pants that looked like they had seen better days. His companion was a few inches shorter than the blond, with long tangled brown hair. He looked like he was knocking on death's door; just skin and bones. His clothes where that of a peasant's, raggedy and filthy with who knows what, and just barely hanging on his pathetic looking frame.
The blond fell into place behind Subaru, his friend trailing along behind him. Subaru turned his head a bit to get a better look at the two prisoners. The blond smiled pleasantly at him.
"Hello," he said in a cheerful whisper.
"Hey," Subaru whispered back, a slight blush staining his cheeks at being caught. The blond ignored his embarrassment, "So, what are you in for?"
Subaru snorted, "I was wrongly accused of being a mass murderer."
The blond gave a grimaced, "Bad luck."
"You could say that again," Subaru muttered, clenching his hand in a tight fist as he thought of the real killer getting away and probably laughing at Subaru's bad fortune.
"Berney here stole from a little old woman," The blond said, then shook his head sadly, "Poor bugger, didn't stand a chance against the old woman's purse of bricks."
"He's in here just for that?" Subaru asked in surprise.
The blond nodded, "Yep."
"Well that's preposterous!" Subaru hissed. Before the blond could say any more, they began shuffling to the draw gate. The blond frowned and shifted his gaze to his pitiful looking companion, whose gaze was stuck on a crack in the ground as though it was the most interesting thing in the world.
They passed the eight guards without incident, and were separated into groups of three, 'Timothy', 'Moose', and 'Bob' in one group, Kamui, Suabru, and the blond young man in another. The blond waved to Berney as the pitiful man was herded with two others to a different tower by a grim looking guard. He leaned in close the Subaru's ear and muttered grimly, "Poor bloke won't stand a chance." Subaru and Kamui kind of felt sorry for the little guy, but they soon turned their attentions to a smiling guard standing behind a podium, holding a feathered quill in one hand, who beckoned them over to him.
"Hello, hello!" He cried cheerfully as they stopped in front of the podium. The three young men waved a 'hello' and sweat dropped. "Welcome! Welcome…to your dungeon!"
The trio sweat dropped again, wondering who thought to hire this idiot in a prison. The guard ignored their looks and introduced himself, "Hello! I'm Falafel…maitre de dungeon. Please allow me to show you to your cell." He quickly shooed them to a staircase to their right, "Come, come!"
Then he took the lead and banged his head against the top of the stair way entrance. "Ouch!" He rubbed his fore head and turned to his group, "Duck, I always forget about that."
The blond leaned in closer to Kamui and Subaru after the guard continued leading them up the stairs and murmured, "Where'd they find this blockhead?"
The young king and mage shrugged as they followed the idiotic guard to the next floor, where he spun around and clapped his hands together once. "I'm sorry, but I just remembered, we can't seat you without the proper attire."
"That's okay," the blond said instantly as Falafel turned and rummaged through a closet. "We'll just go home and get the proper attire and come back."
"Ah, here we are," Falafel exclaimed as he held up three black false beards. He put one on each of them and stepped back to admire his handy work. "See?"
Kamui twitched his nose, trying to stop himself from sneezing as the beard tickled his nose. Subaru pouted at how his life couldn't get anymore humiliating and the blond just scowled.
"That's much better," Falafel said happily and led them over to a crabby burly looking guard. "Now, I leave you in the capable hands of Muktor, he's our head guard," he gestured to the burly guard beside him. Then leaned in and whispered, "Please, it's better if you cooperate with him. He's a tough guy."
One glance at Muktor was enough to convince the trio that Falafel wasn't kidding. Falafel then straightened up and said in a happy normal voice, "If there's anything you require, please don't hesitate to scream!" And as his said that, there was a snap of a whip and an anguished scream followed, making the trio cringe in unison. "Coming!" Falafel called in a sunshine happy voice. "We're soo busy!"
And with that he bounced off, leaving Kamui and the gang to the mercy of Muktor. Kamui looked up at the imitating guard and gulped. The guard glared back at them and said crossly, "Follow me."
He led them to an office with a scratched up desk piled with papers, and three chairs facing it. Muktor went to the desk and sat down. When he saw the three inmates shifting idly from foot to foot he snapped, "Sit down!"
They jumped and ran to the three seats and sat down quickly, as though playing musical chairs. Muktor shuffled through a pile of papers, making the uncomfortable young men shift uneasily in their chairs. When he found what he was looking for he looked up and fixed them with a piercing gaze.
"Yuto Kigai?"
The blond gulped and hesitantly raised his hand. "Here."
Muktor nodded curtly, "Kamui Shiro?"
"Here," Kamui answered in a shaky voice. Muktor nodded again and looked at his papers again.
"Seishiro Sakurazuka?"
"I AM NOTSEISHIRO SAKURAZUKA!!!" Subaru screamed, his voice echoing clear as a bell throughout the prison. Even people who where fifty miles away could hear him clearly. Muktor glared at him. "That's not what the papers say."
"Well the papers were wrong! I'm Subaru Sumeragi!" Subaru exclaimed in exasperation. "I was arrested because those idiots thought I was Seishiro."
Muktor looked as though he couldn't careless why the abused mage was arrested, or if he was innocent or not. "Look, I don't give a rat's ass if you're innocent or what you were arrested for, I just follow what the papers tell me. And what they tell me is that you are Sakurazuka. You are a mass murderer, and you will serve out a life sentence here."
At his words, Subaru's face whitened as the blood drained from it. His mouth hung open in a silent scream and his eyes stared blankly ahead of him. Muktor then turned to Kamui, who slide lower in his seat. "You Shiro are also here to serve a life sentence for treason against your king, along with resisting arrest."
Kamui groaned and bumped his head against the back of his chair. Muktor moved on to Yuto. "You, Kigai, were captured yes?"
Yuto nodded. "Then where is your king?" Muktor demanded.
Yuto raised an eye brow then asked innocently. "And which king would that be? King Richard? King Louis? King Kong?" Then his face turned smug. "Larry King?"
Muktor narrowed his eyes at the blond. "Just answer the question, Impertinent English Dog."
"Oh, like you should talk." Yuto retorted, as Muktor's English accent was unmistakeable. Muktor glared daggers at Yuto that made Kamui winced at the sheer force of anger in his look. "Tell me right now!"
Yuto folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. "I don't think so."
Kamui turned to the currently catatonic mage for help, only to find that he still hadn't snapped out of his shock at hearing that thanks to Seishiro, he was now going to waste away in a gloomy dump of a prison, and be passed around the inmates for the rest of his life. The shock seemed so over whelming, that he even forgot about his own escape plan that he and Kamui had created on the boat.
Meanwhile, Yuto and Muktor's arguing was pushing the head guard's last buttons. In fact, he was so outraged by now that a subordinate was rushed in, trying to calm him down and settle the matter without any blood shed. Sadly for him, Yuto was cutting his work out for him.
"Just answer the bleeding question!" Muktor roared, banging his fists on his desk.
Yuto smiled sweetly, "What's the magic word?"
"Please?" The lower ranked guard begged the smug looking blond.
"Please what?" Yuto asked, making both the timid guard and Kamui flinch. Finally, Kamui had had enough. Before any of the guards could answer, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "JUST ANSWER THE BLOODY QUESTION!!!"
Yuto pouted at him, "Aw, come on, it was just getting fun…"
Kamui scowled at him. "Look you; you can enrage the guards when we're not around! Despite my situation, I would like to live my miserable life with as little chaos as necessary!"
Yuto sighed dramatically, and shrugged, "I'm not talking, because I don't know where his is. I was out fighting in the crusades when I received word that Prince John has stolen the throne of England. I rushed to get back home when I was captured by his men and charged with helping illegal immigrants into France, and resisting arrest as I tried to explain myself."
Kamui stared at Yuto with a disbelieving look. 'Why couldn't he have just said that in the first place?'Apparently Muktor was thinking the same thing.
"You are here to serve out another life sentence." He snapped.
"What?" Yuto shouted, jumping up from his chair. "That can't be, being caught for helping illegal immigrants into France has a maximum punishment of imprisonment up to a year, and resisting arrest had a maximum sentence of a few weeks!"
Muktor smiled evilly, "Well, since you p!ssed me off, you'll be serving a life sentence with your little friends here," he gestured to Kamui and Subaru. Yuto opened his mouth to argue, but no words came out. Muktor's evil smile widened as he called for Falafel to take them to their cell.
Falafel seemed ecstatic that they were going to be sticking around for what he said was 'an extended period of time'. He lead them down a flight of stairs to the basement, with Yuto trailing absentmindedly, and Kamui dragging his feet behind him, and Subaru, who became animated enough to follow aimlessly behind them and bring up the rear.
Falafel came to a large wooden door and halted them long enough to open it and usher them in, babbling about some nonsense of them becoming best friends and how they were going to just love their stay at the prison (this comment was enough to jolt Subaru back to reality and utter a horrified squeak).
"Well, this is your cell," the cheerful guard said happily. The three prisoners surveyed their new little living quarters with little interest. It was an "L" shaped room with a low ceiling. The walls were lined with stone benches; the west wall also had a small barred window that was so close to the ceiling that they couldn't see anything out of it except for a bottom portion of a brick wall, indicating that they were under ground. On the floor were four metal bars linked together in a square that were about a foot off the ground and separated two feet from the benches. They saw that there were five other inmates in the cell. Two sat on the west bench, their ankles chained to the bar in front of them. They were dirty and had long hair that looked as though they hadn't combed it in years (which was very likely) and long beards (some of them fake). Two other men occupied the east benched and were also shackled by their ankles to the poll in front of them and didn't look any better either.
The other man sat on the north bench. He too was tied to the rail before him, but he looked better that the others. He was dressed in robes of red and tan, with different strip patterns on it that looked clean and new. He wore a rounded hat with the same design, and his skin was the darkest that Kamui, Subaru, and Yuto had ever seen. His face had the beginnings of a black beard, and he had a large nose. He smiled and waved at them when they entered.
"Well, here we are," Falafel said again. "Let's see… we'll put you… on the north bench, shall we?" He led them over to the bench, where they sat down next to the dark man and Falafel attached them to the bar. When he was finished he straightened up and rubbed his hands together, "Well, I better get going. I'll be back to check on you in a few minutes, to make sure you're settling in okay. Until then, tu da lu!"
And with that said he bounced off and closed and locked the door behind him. Kamui waited until he was sure that Falafel was gone before saying, "Okay, seriously, whose idea was it to hire that fruit loop?"
All that the other inmates could do was shrug, for even they couldn't understand why a prison would employ such an airhead for a guard.
*~*~*~*
Meanwhile, in a dungeon in England…
Saiki was very confused indeed by the strange events that have happened to him in the past few days. First, as he and Kamui were fighting, he was snatched up by a giant paragon falcon, then just hours later, he was joined by the village peasant, Jim. After almost two hours, they finally land, but instead of landing in the giant bird of prey's lair and being devoured they land in the court yard of a castle. And Saiki found himself being charged with conspiring against a Prince John, carrying illegal weapons with the intent of harming another person, and the possession of an illegal food (which the illegal weapons and food in question were two coconut halves that he had been carrying around), and resisting arrest. His coconuts and a baggy of catnip (confiscated from Jim) were taken as evidence. Then he was tossed in the dungeons with Jim and left alone for two days, the only contact from the outside world came from the guards who silently fed them gruel three times a day.
On this third day, Saiki spent his time like he had the last couple of days, which consisted of going through and rewinding the events of the past few days and trying to find out where he went wrong, pacing the length of the cell that he and Jim shared, making escape plans that he realized wouldn't work, and banging his head between two bars as Jim droned on and on with his useless babble. Right now he was currently banging his head between two bars with his right eye twitching as Jim ranted about breakfast cereal.
"I mean, if you're that desperate for a bowl of marshmallow cereal why not just go to a store and buya box of bloody Lucky Charms and stop badgering every leprecon who has a box?" Jim demanded shaking his fists in the air, and ignoring Saiki's attempts to put himself in a coma. "Just stop pestering the poor bugger and cough up the cash to buy your own box or just go without. I mean, enough is enough."
Saiki continued his assault, his eye twitch becoming more rapid, all the while repeating in his head 'shut up. Shut up. SHUT UP!!' And from the looks on the two guards posted at the dungeon entrance, he guessed they were thinking the same thing.
"And what's the deal with that wolf and the cookie cereal," Jim continued, making Saiki wish that something or someonewould just give him something to shut the ranting peasant up with. "He should just get a job and go buy the damn cereal instead of racking up a never ending hospital bill from all of his stupid failed attempts to steal a breakfast cereal from a bunch of kids. Or maybe he should just admit that he has a problem and either go see a therapist, or go steal something worth while, like robbing a bank or a jewelry store!"
Finally, Saiki reached his boiling point, "SHUT UP!" he screamed, making both the two guards outside their cell and Jim jump. "I can't take it anymore! Just shut up!"
"But—"
"No," Saiki snarled grabbing a hold of Jim's shirt collar in both hands. "Don't say anything! If I hear another word come out of your mouth I swear I'll grab a spear and impale you with it!"
Jim opened his mouth to say something but Saiki shook him roughly before he could. "I said, not another word! Not even a sound, or so help me god, I will impale you!"
Jim closed his mouth and Saiki to a deep shaky breath to compose himself. "Now," He said in a calm even voice, "You are just going to sit quietly in that corner over there," he gestured to the back corner to his right. "You will not say anything until I say you can, and even then you will answer in short, sweet, and to the point answers, understand?"
Jim bobbed his head furiously. "Good," Saiki said lightly and let him go. "Now go sit in your corner over there and be quiet."
Jim did as he was told and huddled in the corner, watching Saiki fearfully. Saiki ignored the frightened glances and turned back to the barred door and leaned against it, sighing with relief as silence flooded the room. He looked up and spotted the two guards watching him uncertainly. He scowled, "What are you looking at?"
The guards squeaked and flinched at his voice. "Go guard something and bugger off!" Saiki snapped and the guards both rushed out of the room, whimpering as they went. "Idiots," he muttered and again went back to leaning his head against the cool bars and closed his eyes to think.
He wished he hadn't come with Kamui on his stupid quest to find a bunch of stupid knights to join them in Kamui's stupid court of Camelot. Then he wouldn't have been forced to carry their entire stupid luggage, and be ignored as he was dying of stupid thirst, and kidnapped by a stupid possessive over grown flying chicken, and then arrested for carrying two stupid coconut halves. Yes, the world seemed pretty much at fault for Saiki's misfortune.
Saiki sighed, and thought sarcastically, 'Well, it can't get any worse…'
Oh, poor abused Saiki. If only he hadn't said that, because now the author is hard at work at making things even worse (insert evil cackle). Behind him Jim was starting to fidget. He desperately wanted to tell Saiki that the guards he had scared away had left the keys to their cell just within their reach, but Saiki's threat to impale him with a spear stopped him, he was sure Saiki would kill him before he could even get a full sentence out. But the more he stayed silent, the more he fidgeted and squirmed, and the more the words pushed to be let out.
Meanwhile, Saiki was unaware of Jim's inner torment. He was deep in his own thoughts, trying to think of a plan to escape.
'Hm…' he thought, 'maybe I can have Jim fake a stomach ache. As he's moaning and groaning on the ground, the guards will rush in and see what the problem is. Then, as they're distracted by Jim, I'll come up behind them and—no, wait. They take our bowls away right after we've finished our meals. Blast,' He frowned as he thought up another plan. 'Okay, what if Jim plays dead, then, when the guards come in to inspect him; I'll make a mad dash for the exit. Yes, that's perfect!' Saiki smiled but then a frown quickly reappeared. 'Wait, Jim can't play dead, he never shuts up or sits still long enough to even listen to a two minute conversation! Oh… bugger!'
As he mentally racked his brain, he didn't notice the enraged shouting that was coming from the hall until the door to the dungeon slammed open to reveal the dark bearded man in black and silver standing in the door way with his hands on his hips and the two guards Saiki had scared away cowering behind him. Both Saiki and Jim jumped as the door swung open.
The bearded man was seething with malice as he stomped up to Saiki and fixed him with a killing look. "What meaning the this is?!" he sputtered in outrage.
Saiki and Jim frowned in confusion and they both asked "What?"
Jim squeaked and covered his mouth with both hands and looked quickly at Saiki to see if he had noticed. He didn't, he was too preoccupied with the man in his face to even take any notice of Jim's accidental outburst.
The man gritted his teeth and cleared his throat before repeating, "What is the meaning of this?"
Saiki was now thoroughly confused, "Meaning of what?"
"Who are you to give orders to my men?!"
Saiki sweat dropped, "What, telling them to bugger off? That wasn't an order."
"Then why did they say they were running through the halls on your orders?!" The man demanded.
Saiki shrugged, "Because they're idiots?"
"And who gave you permission to take advantage of their idiocy?" The man snapped.
Saiki frowned, "I just told them to mind their own business. It's not my fault they ran away crying."
The man's face began to turn red with fury, and his eyes seemed to bulge. For a second, Saiki thought he was going to pop a blood vein or die of a heart attack. One of the cowering guards hesitantly stepped forward. "Uh, M-Mr. Sheriff of R-Rottingham sir?"
"What is it?!" Rottingham snarled, making the two subordinates cringe back as though he'd just slapped them.
"W-well y-y-you see sir—"
"Wait my lady!"
Everyone's attention snapped to the doorway where they heard the voices of women arguing, and they seemed to be coming closer.
"Not now Broomhilde," a tired and slightly annoyed voice snapped. "If he even thinks for one minute that I'll just stand aside quietly while he keeps arresting my servants for petty things, he's in for a rude awakening!"
"But milady, Trevor has already been executed!" the one called Broomhilde tried to reason in a heavy German accent.
"I know that! That's why when I find him—"
Suddenly the two arguing women burst through the door and the woman who was talking swept her eyes across the room until they landed on the Sheriff of Rottingham and narrowed. "You!"
The Sheriff smiled a sickeningly pleasant smile at her. "Yes my dear?"
"What right do you have to arrest my servants?" She demanded.
Saiki peered at the angry maiden and her very large maid. The maiden looked to be about seventeen and about five foot four. She was slim, and wore a pair of black framed glasses. Her hair was black and just over shoulder length and pulled back in a low ponytail. Her gray eyes looked at the Sheriff with a look that could kill.
"You," she hissed at him. "I have a bone to pick with you!"
The Sheriff's sickeningly pleasant smile widened. "Yes, Lady Satsuki?"
"Why was Trevor arrested? What was his crime?" Satsuki demanded icily. Her tone made Saiki and Jim wince. The Sheriff of Rottingham seemed unaffected and replied in a smooth voice, "I don't believe you should be putting any unnecessary stress on yourself over a mere servant and his crimes Lady Satsuki."
Lady Satsuki narrowed her eyes to mere slits. "Sheriff, you burst into my servant's sleeping quarters and arrested my servant without informing him or myself of his crimes. Then you proceed to execute him without a trial! I demand an answer and an apology and replacements!"
The Sheriff raised his eye brows, "Replacements?" He repeated disbelievingly, "My dear Lady Satsuki, I believe I only arrested one of your servants."
"No, you also arrested and executed at least three more of my servants before this one," Lady Satsuki snarled, her hands balling into fists now. "And now I want at least two new ones, plus an explanation and an apology."
The loathsome man shook his head in fake sympathy. "My apologies my lady, but we have no more extra servants at this time."
Satsuki glowered at him. "Bull."
"I speak only the truth," he said calmly.
Satsuki's eyes swept the dungeon cells and stopped on Saiki and Jim's cell. She studied both men with a critical eye. The brunette looked decent; though his cloths looked a little scuffled. The other one looked so grungy that she was sure Broomhilde would have a conniption fit. His cloths were disgusting, and his face and red hair were covered in dirt, but she was confident that a bath and a change of cloths would work miracles for him.
"What about them?" she demanded, pointing at the two prisoners.
Rottingham's face dropped and he fought to keep himself composed. "Them who?"
Satsuki's eyes flashed, making Saiki and Jim flinch at their intensity. "Are trying to be funny, Mister Rottingham?" She demanded hotly. Her sudden words made Rottingham take a step back. "Wha-what?"
"Do you think I'm stupid? Is that what you're implying?" She demanded again.
"No, of course not," Rottingham said quickly.
"Then when I ask you about something answer it!" Satsuki shouted, making everyone but the large maid flinch. Then in a calmer voice she repeated the question. "Now, what about those two nice young gentlemen behind you?"
Rottingham narrowed his eyes, "These two filthy dogs are awaiting trial."
"And what are their 'crimes'?" Satsuki asked, not even bothering to hide the sarcasm in her voice when she said the last word.
"Lady Satsuki, I must insist that you needn't bother with these two." Rottingham said quickly. "Criminals don't make good servants, and it wouldn't be fair to let these two go free when so many others have not."
Satsuki began to look annoyed, "I believe I didn't ask you for your opinion Sheriff. I asked you what their crimes were."
Rottingham gritted his teeth. "One was caught for failure to pay his taxes and for selling cat nip to under aged kittens and also had cat nip on him at the time of arrest."
"And the other one?"
Rottingham's teeth started to grind at the thought of Satsuki getting her way and both Saiki and Jim going scot free. "The other was arrested for conspiring against the Prince and possession of illegal food items and a dangerous weapon. We're also thinking about adding resisting arrest to the list," he added.
Satsuki rolled her eyes. "That's it? What was the illegal food item?"
"Coconuts," the sheriff answered.
"And the illegal weapon?"
"Coconuts!" Rottingham snapped Satsuki's brutal questioning was wearing his patience.
Satsuki's eyes widened with shock and then flashed with fury. "WHAT?!"
Saiki and Jim quickly backed against the wall of their cell, trembling with fear at the woman's sudden change of mood. The guards quickly backed away from Satsuki and Broomhilde with the same expressions.
Saiki was starting to desperately wish that he was back with Kamui and carrying all of their junk on their stupid quest for knights to join his round table. Instead, he was here and about to face the wrath of the beautiful but terrifying Lady Satsuki.
*~*~*
Back with Kamui, Subaru, and Yuto...
Yuto slumped against the wall and sighed. "Well how could it get any worse?"
"Don't say that!" Subaru hissed.
Yuto raised an eye brow. "Why?"
"Because, it's like saying "Oh that'll never happen' and then it happens!" Subaru snapped, as he was speaking out of personal experience.
Yuto rolled his eyes, "Oh please. Don't tell me you believe in silly superstitions like that. I thought you were more level headed than that."
"Er, Yuto." Kamui started uneasily, "I really think you should listen to Subaru."
Yuto snorted, "Okay, seriously you guys this is getting pretty pathetic. Just because I say something doesn't mean it's going to happen."
"Yes it will," Subaru said coolly. "Things like that always happen in some shape or form!"
Yuto gave them a spiteful smirk. "Oh really? Then I guess I shouldn't say 'Things can't get any worse.'"
Kamui flinched, "Yuto—stop!"
Yuto ignored him, "Or how about 'I'll never get hit in the head with a shovel.'"
Subaru cupped his hands against his ears. "I'm not listening. I'm not listening!" Subaru chanted. "I can't hear you!"
"What's the worst that can happen?" Yuto taunted.
"Seriously Yuto, stop it!" Kamui pleaded.
But before Yuto could say anything else, the door slammed open to reveal Muktor and a bald round man, carrying what looked like metal gripers. They stepped through the doorway and into to room. Muktor inclined his head at Yuto and the round man scurried over to Yuto, unlocked his shackles and led him to an unoccupied bench and sat him down. Muktor strunted over to them and looked Yuto in the eye, and Yuto met his gaze with a defiant expression.
Subaru leaned towards Kamui and muttered, "See, I told him something would happen!" Kamui nodded his head in agreement.
Muktor leaned toward Yuto. "Tell me, were is your king?"
Yuto sighed, hadn't they already established that he didn't know where his king was? "I don't know," he said in an annoyed tone.
"Oh, I believe you do," Muktor said smoothly.
"Oh, I believe I don't," Yuto said sarcastically. Muktor narrowed his eyes. "You will tell me where your king is!"
"Idon't think so." Yuto answered and crossed his arms over his chest. Kamui, Subaru, and their bench mate watched Yuto anxiously.
"You will tell me where your king is!" Muktor growled.
"I don't thinkso." Yuto answered again.
Muktor glowered at him and motioned to the round man. "Churchim, the tongue looseners, please." The other inmates gasped in horror, some covered their eyes.
Churchim stepped in front of Yuto and stuck the pliers-like tool in Yuto's mouth and clamped it around his tongue and started to pull it out slowly. As he pulled Yuto's smug expression changed from smug to wide eyed surprise and pain. He began making unintelligible screams and wildly waved his arms as the round man stretched his tongue almost six inches, before finally letting it go. Once his tongue snapped back in his mouth Yuto slapped his hands over his mouth and mumbled something unintelligible.
Muktor smiled triumphantly. "Want to start talking?"
Yuto glared and shook his head violently. Muktor's smile disappeared and he gestured to Churchim and started speaking to him in Muslim. Yuto turned to Churchim when Muktar finished and asked in a slur, "Wats he saying?"
The round man hesitated then took him by the arm, shaking his head, "You don't want to know."
Muktor stomped out of the dungeon as Churchim led Yuto back to his spot and shackled him to the metal bar again and left them for a moment. Kamui and Subaru were looking at him with wide eyes.
"See, I told not to say things like that!" Subaru hissed. Yuto rolled his eyes, "Whatever."
The black man sitting next to Yuto smiled at him, "You're pretty brave for a not home-boy."
Yuto inclined his head, "Thanks."
"I have been here for a while," He continued, "Perhaps I can of a service to you. Do you have any questions?"
The trio thought about it. Then Kamui nodded, "What are you in here for?"
The man's face dropped to one of annoyance and he replied reluctantly, "Jay walking."
The three nodded solemnly, already knowing the feeling of being cheated by the justice system. "I see," Subaru mumbled and looked around and sighed. "It won't be easy getting out of here. What we need is a great feat of strength."
The African native raised a thoughtful eye brow, "A feat of strength?" He was silent as he pondered this for a moment before exclaiming in delight, "Au contraire!"
The trio started slightly at his sudden out-burst. The man said excitedly, "Now that the three of you are here with me, what we have is great strength of feet!"
Yuto frowned, "Don't follow." The other two nodded in agreement. The man gestured to them, "Just do as I do." He put both of his feet on the bar. "Put your feet on the bar," He instructed, "Both feet." Kamui, Subaru and Yuto did as he said.
"Now on the count of kick, we push," The man said. Subaru frowned and opened his open to ask if he heard him right when the man said, "Kick!"
The four men heaved with all of their strength and the bar broke free from the wall. They cheered, unable to believe that they were free. But their cheers were cut short at Churchim's voice, "What was that noise?"
Their faces turned horrified as they hastily pulled the bar back to the wall before Churchim rounded the corner to find the bar as it had been. He demanded again, "What was that noise?"
The man next to Yuto fumbled, "Noise? Oh, the noise you just heard was the terrible breaking of this poor man's heart," He said sorrowfully, gesturing to Yuto. Yuto blinked and looked at him in confusion. Kamui scowled as elbowed him in the ribs.
"Ow!" Yuto snapped and glared at Kamui. Kamui glared back at him and nodded to Churchim anxiously. "Oh," Yuto said, revelation unfolding before him. He then clenched his chest, "Yes, that's it!" Then he wailed pitifully, "Oh my heart!"
"What?" The large man demanded.
The man next to Yuto was quick to answer him, "He's decided to save his own life by betraying his king," he said sadly. Subaru shook his head shamefully while Kamui tsked.
Yuto covered his eyes with the back of one of his hands and groaned, "Damm my eyes!"
The man shooed Churchim, "Quick! Go tell your superiors before he changes his mind!"
Subaru and Kamui nodded encouragingly. Churchim's face was full of awe, "By the love of Allah! This is a wonderful thing!"
The four inmates nodded impatiently, "Go!"
Churchim turned and started heading for the door excitedly; he continued talking over his shoulder. "It will mean a big promotion for me!"
The four inmates shook their heads encouragingly, "Go!"
Churchim stopped before the stairs leading to the door way, "Good new is always rewarded!"
"Please, go!" The man next to Yuto pleaded. Churchim ran up the stairs and through the doorway. Once he had disappeared, the inmates started to move the bar.
"On the other hand…"
The quartet yanked the bar back in place just as Churchim's head poked around the door. They sat over acting as though nothing had happened.
"Bad news is severely punished." He hesitated in the doorway before shrugging the thought off and hurrying off to inform his superiors of his good news. The quartet waited for a few seconds.
"Now's our chance," Subaru said quickly. The African native nodded eagerly, "Quick, follow me!" He jumped up and said to Subaru, "You get that chain, I'll get this one."
Subaru also jumped up and grabbed the chain the man had indicated and the two of them pulled the chains, which, conincidently just happened the link all of the prisoners in the room to their bars, and freed everyone.
The whole room erupted with roars of glee. Everyone rose from their benches and cheered.
"I'm free!"
"You're free!"
"I'm going home!"
Then everyone worked together. They took their old chains and swung them up to the window and hooked them to who knows what and started climbing up the wall. The first ones up lifted the window bars allowing the others to escape. Once up Subaru and Yuto regrouped with Kamui and the African native and they escaped together. When everyone was out, they dropped the window after them and headed off.
Churchim came skidding into the now empty dungeon yelling, "I told them the good news and…" He stopped when he saw that no one was there. "And… I'm in deep shit."
*~*~*~*
The quartet were now standing on a beach, laughing and celebrating their new-found freedom. The sun was shining, the breeze was light, the camel jockeys were out practicing for their upcoming race, and Kamui and Subaru and Yuto have just got done telling their friend about how they desperately needed to return to England.
The man nodded as they finished, "It is a very long journey from Africa to England, my friends."
Kamui and the others nodded, "Well," Yuto said, "We all owe you a debt of gratitude. My name is Yuto Kigai."
"I'm called Subaru Sumeragi."
"And I'm Kamui Shiro."
The man smiled, "My name is Asneeze," he shook Yuto's hand. "Father of Achoo."
"Bless you," Kamui, Subaru, and Yuto said.
"No, no, no. Achoo is my son," Asneeze explained, "He's in England, your country." The trio gave him a puzzled look. "He's an exchange student."
They nodded in understanding.
"I wonder is I could ask you to do something for me," Asneeze asked.
Kamui smiled and nodded, "Sure, what do you need?"
"I would like it if you could look after him," Asneeze pulled out a old worn photo and handed it to Yuto. The three Britons peered at it. Asneeze's son wasn't as dark as Asneeze. He wore a purple and green turban and baggy robes.
As they examined the photo Asneese continued, "He is in need of guidance. He is headstrong and cocksure." He paused, "or is it the other way around?"
Yuto stuffed the photo into his pocket and smirked at Asneeze, "Say no more. I vow on the sacred word of Kigai." Subaru and Kamui frowned. They felt a long winded vow coming on. "I give you my undying pledge… my solemn oath on my father's honor, on the blood of my heart… on the word of my soul—"
"Good, good, good," Asneeze said quickly, "You must go now, or you'll miss the tide."
Yuto turned and looked at the shore and nodded, "Well, farewell, my friend, and not worry. We'll find Achoo."
And with that he wheeled around ran to the shore-line and started wallowing through the surf to make the long swim back to England. What an idiot. Kamui and Subaru sweat dropped.
"Er, isn't he aware of that boat over there that's going toEngland?" Kamui asked in a disbelieving tone.
"Apparently not," Subaru answered in the same tone.
"Do you think we should tell him?"
"Nah," Subaru said, "If he wants to take the hard way, then let him." He then turned to Asneeze and bowed. "Thanks again, my friend. Don't worry, we'll make sure to find Achoo and Yuto."
And with that, the white mage and the young king dashed for the ship that was about to set sail for England.
Asneeze stood waving to all three of them, "Goodbye my friends! Farewell! Safe journey!"
*~*~*~*
What's in store for Saiki and Jim? If Satsuki wins them their freedom in exchange for being her servants, would they be safer with Rottingham? Will Kamui, Subaru, and Yuto find Achoo? All these answers and more in the next chapter!
Hey, sorry I haven't updated in almost forever! I couldn't write during the summer because I didn't have access to a computer that worked. And when I finally get back to school, I had to have a two week wait to get my laptop, and when I finally got it I started having troubles. Turns out, they put too much crap on our computers and they started screwing up. The people in charge of the laptops couldn't help me, and after a while when my computer started deleting things off my flash drive that had been saved since last year I was too afraid to trust my laptop with my chapters until now.