Chapter 8 Bad Reunion
The night fell upon the Hidden Kingdom when the heroes arrived at East Citadel. The castle was lifted and turned away from its base, creating an arena. High Roller stood there waiting for the heroes to fall into his trap.
When they arrived in the arena for the millionth time, the lights were almost blinding and the seats were filled of High Roller's followers, prepared to fight for him if First Squad pulled anything funny. High Roller was at the opposite side of the arena on a shoulder of his bodyguard, Bear Stomp, the Bear King. Apetrully was inside the Hippo King's mouth that acted like a cell for him. High Roller watched the heroes walk into the arena, excited and bouncing on his feet. He finally gets to see the princess again after all these years.
"Welcome, First Squad!" High Roller jumped down and walked over towards them.
Xin was hiding behind Lin Chung at first, but realized that he must overcome it and face High Roller like the man he chose to be. He stepped out of Lin Chung's shadow and faced High Roller who still has not changed after all these years.
Ugh… He is still disturbing to look at…
Xin giggled at Sima's comment on High Roller.
Xin caught High Roller's eyes almost immediately. He grinned wickedly and walked up directly in front of First Squad, with Bear Stomp right behind him to back him up. Xin felt an uncomfortable fury coursing through his body and mind. Personally, High Roller would be his main target for hate, but the large bear behind the ex-jester was upsetting him too.
Bears…
"Give us back our commander, High Roller." Mighty Ray spat. High Roller paid no attention to the man in red and grinned devilishly at Xin. "Hey, I'm talking here!"
"You look so beautiful, even without your make-up, Princess Qiao." High Roller sighed in love, and walked up to her.
"PRINCESS?" all of First Squad exclaimed.
Xin's eyes widened in shock, High Roller knew it was her this whole time. Her disguise was a failure, and High Roller was not as stupid as he looks.
Devious, little imp…
He held her hand to kiss it but she pulled it away, "You're still a toad, after all these years."
"Sticks and stones, my sweet." the jester grinned wickedly and backed up a bit to face First Squad as a whole.
Now knowing that Xin was actually Qiao, the members of First Squad asked themselves "why have they not seen it sooner?" It was so obvious.
"Why did you lie about your gender?" Mystique Sonia asked Qiao.
Mr. No Hands answered. He knew this whole time, "Apetrully told Alpha-Girl and me about this. She said in the letter that we would treat her differently if she came to us as a princess. If she pretended to be a prince, we would treat her as a teammate and not someone to protect."
"Blah, blah, blah!" High Roller spat, "If you want your commander back, you must give me Princess Qiao."
High Roller's deal reminded the heroes about Xin's story. Since Prince Xin was actually Princess Qiao, High Roller will do horrid, perverted things to her and they simply can never allow that to happen.
"Never!" Mystique Sonia rashly answered while hugging Qiao.
"We would never exchange our friend like an object!" Mighty Ray added standing in front of Qiao.
"Especially when you have something sinister up your sleeves." Lin Chung added taking Qiao's other side.
"So, forget it!" Jumpy stood in front of her next to Mighty Ray.
"Fine, then you'll never see your commander again." High Roller spat, "I'll just have Hippo King swallow him whole." The Hippo King raised his head about to swallow Apetrully.
Qiao knew what High Roller was capable of. She could not allow this to happen. "No!" she shouted, "I'll do it." She slowly walked towards High Roller in defeat.
"No, Xin!" Mystique Sonia held onto her wrist as tight as she could, "Don't do it."
"I have to." said Qiao as she freed herself from Mystique Sonia's grasp.
"There'll be another way." Lin Chung held her back by grabbing her shoulder.
"There won't be one if he is eaten." Qiao broke free from Lin Chung's grip.
"You don't have to sacrifice yourself!" Mighty Ray gripped her around the waist to hold her back from walking towards High Roller.
She jerked about, "I'm not afraid. I have to save him." she freed herself and continued walking.
Jumpy hopped in front of her, "Promise me you'll be safe." he already knew she was going to surrender herself no matter what he said.
She smiled, "Yes. I'll be alright. I promise."
The Hippo King opened his mouth and allowed Apetrully to leave and walk back to First Squad. Apetrully and Qiao stopped to face each other.
"You don't have to do this." the commander spoke.
"I want to. I want to show High Roller that I'm not the little frail girl he scared." Qiao smiled at the commander, "Don't worry. I'll escape."
"First Squad will be here to retrieve you, Princess Qiao." Apetrully bowed, "Please be safe."
High Roller chuckled evilly as the Princess made her way towards him. He offered his hand again to the princess but she shrugged it off and stood at his side about five feet away. He huffed and a lever appeared rising next to him. He gripped the lever and tugged it towards him. The floor that the heroes were standing on bounced up and sprung the heroes out of the arena.
"Xin!" Mystique Sonia shouted and shot out her tongue for Qiao to grab and escape with.
Mystique Sonia's blue tongue was reachable for the Princess as she held out her hand to grab it. She managed to grasp it and took off flying with First Squad.
"You did it, Mystique Sonia!" Lin Chung smiled.
"Reel him in! Hurry!" Mighty Ray exclaimed.
"No!" High Roller screamed, "Do something, Bear Stomp!"
The large bear shot out his mechanical arm towards the princess and it managed to grip her leg. Qiao was being pulled back by the bear's clamp along with Mystique Sonia. Mr. No Hands gripped on Yaksha with his teeth, and Yaksha held Mystique Sonia who was holding Qiao. It was a game of Tug o' War and whoever wins get the Princess. Mystique Sonia saw that they were at a disadvantage since Qiao was holding onto her slimy tongue. She slowly reeled herself towards Qiao to get a grip on her wrist.
"Gwab mah han!" Mystique Sonia called out and held out her hand.
Qiao used her other hand to grab Mystique Sonia's hand.
Just a little more… Almost there, Qiao…
They were close to grasping each other, just a few more centimeters, but Qiao's grip on Mystique Sonia's tongue slipped and she plummeted back into High Roller's grasp.
"No!" Mystique Sonia screamed and flung off with the others.
Qiao screamed as her chance of escaping slipped from her hand. Bear Stomp caught her and held her with an arm restraining grip, allowing her feet to kick about and struggle.
"That was a close one." High Roller laughed, "You almost got away, again." Qiao scowled at him and dared not to look at his face, "Oh, look at that face. You're so beautiful, even when you're angry. We're going to have a lot of fun together; just like old times." He began laughing maniacally as he and Bear Stomp had the arena be turned back into his citadel.
The heroes landed in the Big Green's water. Big Green and High Roller's Castle were a long distance apart and First Squad had no time to waste.
"I'm sorry guys." Mystique Sonia said with shame, "I didn't react quick enough."
"At least you reacted at all, Mystique Sonia." Mr. No Hands responded, "You did your best."
"We have to go back." Mighty Ray glanced at the direction where the castle was, "Who knows what High Roller is doing to him- I mean her!"
"Wolf King!" Lin Chung called out.
In seconds, the Wolf King arrived from Big Green. He was so fast he raced over the waters and lifted the four active members of First Squad while still driving.
"Hurry, First Squad! You do not have a lot of time!" Apetrully called out.
Back at the citadel, High Roller, Bear Stomp, and the prisoner, Qiao, made it to the throne room. Bear Stomp instinctively took her weapons away so that she could not use it against High Roller.
"Chain her up, Bear Stomp. I don't want my Princess to escape from me, again." High Roller commanded.
He cuffed her wrists and ankles so that she can walk, but not be able to attack. High Roller took a good look at her. He eyed her clothing; they were ruining her womanly looks.
"Strip her of her warrior clothes and go fetch her princess gown from her room." High Roller commanded again.
That lecherous bastard!… If I had a body I would strangle that fool with my own hands…
"Sima…" Qiao became nervous.
Bear Stomp arrived back with a beautiful red silk gown. He grabbed Qiao and shielded her like a curtain from High Roller, tearing off her current clothing and putting on her princess night gown. He even untied her hair, and used a small amount of make-up on her face to give her back her princess look. Bear Stomp stepped aside and revealed her to High Roller.
The trickster's jaw dropped, "You look ravishing, Princess Qiao!" She looked away, "Now, it's getting late, my sweet. Let's go to bed, shall we?"
Bear Stomp lifted her up as she continued to struggle and took her to what was once her father's bedroom. Nothing changed in the late emperor's bedroom other than the gigantic false portrait of High Roller in the room.
"Bind her to the bed post. I don't want her escaping while I'm asleep." High Roller ordered.
Bear Stomp lifted the princess by the arms and removed a cuff from just one of her wrists. He walked over towards the bed and placed her down on the bed. He wrapped the chain around the post and cuffed her free arm. She was now bound to the bed, unable to escape.
"Excellent!" High Roller watched her struggled and jerk around, "Aw, look how vulnerable you look, Princess. But don't worry, I'll keep you nice and safe." he said wickedly. He turned towards Bear Stomp, "Now, leave us!"
Bear Stomp left the room and shut the door behind him. He stood in front of the door guarding it so that no one can bother his master and the princess.
"Don't come any closer, you toad!" Qiao pulled her legs closer towards her body.
High Roller slowly walked towards his side of the bed and crawled in. Then he crawled towards Qiao who continued to struggle and tried kicking him away. He held a lock of her hair and breathed in its scent.
"A sweet aroma of a beautiful, virgin princess." he almost drooled, and leaned in to bury his face into her neck to intoxicate himself with her scent.
She winced and tried scooting and turning away from the pervert. He crawled over her and began to touch her face and down her torso.
She flustered heavily and stirred around, "This is just like that night. You're still a perverted toad."
High Roller laughed, "Only this time, you're in my bed." He started groping, "And, I'm much older now. I know how to please a woman." He placed his hand inside her shirt.
"Stop it!" she screamed.
"Oh, hush. You enjoy this." High Roller licked his lips.
"I'd rather die and be with my father than be molested by likes you." She spat.
High Roller stopped and snarled, "That old bag bones sent me to get castrated after that night." He gripped her face with roughly, "You should've kept your mouth shut!" She gave him an angry glare.
He glared back and then leaped in to steal her first kiss. Her eyes widen from shock and desperately tried fighting him off, but there was something wrong with the kiss. She felt ill and her energy was sucked out of her. She could not even fidget.
THAT BASTARD!… FIGHT HIM, QIAO!… DO NOT LET THIS IMP RUN HIS HANDS THROUGH YOU!…
He broke the kiss, "Oh, I can't stay mad at you, my sweet." he grinned wickedly, and then his grin became wickeder, "Now, let's get down to business." he moved his hand lower.
Her energy sprung back, "No! NO!" she screamed.