Akikee: Hmm… It's been a long while since Akirina updated… blame me for the inefficiency…Well, thanks for readers and reviewers. You guys are great. So here's chapter 6. Read and enjoy.

Akirina: So... here's the next chap. Sorry for the late update!

Chapter 6

"Yuuri…" Conrad sighed to himself as he looked at the vast horizon of the sea. The sun was setting, painting the whole sky blood-red and the air tasted salty…salty just like the taste of his tears. Of course, he'd not cried in front of his brothers or anyone else. It had been his incompetence that had resulted in the capture of Yuuri.

They hadn't been able to find Yuuri in their surrounding territories. However, there had been sightings of a black-haired child being spotted on a horseback of some troops of Dai Shimaron. Then, a messenger from Dai Shimaron had also further confirmed the whereabouts of Yuuri. He was kidnapped by Dai Shimaron's king.

Anger and fear overwhelmed Conrad when he heard this piece of news. The only thing he could do was to glare at Gwendal who looked away guiltily. The last time he checked, Shin Makoku wasn't on very best terms with Dai Shimaron… Ranjeel had always been planning for some surprise attacks. Now, Yuuri had been turned into a child, it made him even more vulnerable to threats like kidnapping… He swore that if anything mishap befell Yuuri, his brother would be the first to suffer his wrath…

Wiping his face roughly with his sleeve, Conrad took a deep breath and calmed himself. Now, the most important thing was to rescue Yuuri and not further agitate Ranjeel. As long as they could keep that Dai Shimaron king happy for a bit longer, the chances of getting Yuuri back will be higher. Yes, he must gather himself up and not act like some lost mourning puppy. Balling his fist, Conrad gritted his teeth and looked at the cabin where his brothers were. He would keep his king safe.

Meanwhile, Gwendal and Wolfram were discussing how they should organize their rescue team, but nothing feasible came out. Both of them had been disturbed by a thought, and that was the safety of Yuuri. Images of Yuuri being tortured kept popping out of their mind, especially Gwendal's since he's the main culprit and both of them were edgy on their seats.

"Gah…I just can't think of any possible way to safe Yuuri!" Wolfram cried in frustration as he grabs his head, messing up his hair.

"Stop disturbing me with your useless rant! I'm trying to think here!" Gwendal growled at Wolfram who looked indignant.

"Hey, let me remind you, you're the one who'd caused all these troubles! If you hadn't been so unreasonable, Yuuri wouldn't be locked in the stables, and he wouldn't have stage the marvellous escape with those horses and he wouldn't be out there with that Kohi, and he wouldn't be captured by those Dai Shimaron's soldiers and—"

"SHUT UP!"

Both Gwendal and Wolfram froze, gaping at the opened door, at their chestnut brown- haired brother.

"Just shut up okay?" Conrad repeated, fist against the door, brows knitted tightly together.

Eyes gazing at the table, Gwendal slightly nodded his head while Wolfram looked as if he's about to open his mouth to protest. Shooting a glare at Wolfram, Conrad stormed away back to the deck, leaving the other two brothers silent for a while before Wolfram started again.

"See! Even Conrad blames you!"

Unable to give a good rebut, Gwendal swallowed that accusation without a single word. Inside, he felt so guilty that he thought he tasted something really sour and bitter in his mouth. Guilt is sure a bitter thing to swallow down. Very bitter… Hell, Conrad was really angry this time. Really very angry.

"My king, as ordered from you, I had captured the Maoh. He is now locked in the dungeons, waiting for further orders," Belire bowed to Ranjeel who merely grunted.

"I got that. You may go," Ranjeel waved Belire away, not even showing the slightest interest.

"Of course," Belire hissed under his breath, getting up and walking out of the room, seething with rage.

That Ranjeel had been getting on his nerves, treating him like some slave that can be called and ordered around. Just wait, Belire swore. One fine day, he'd repay him all the 'nice' treatments he had gotten from 'King' Ranjeel. Let's see how he would react… Now, it was time to visit his newly captured prize…

Hand grabbing a torch, Belire chuckled as he walked down the stone steps to the dungeon. With the Maoh in his hands, Shin Makoku will surely be heading towards their doom soon. Anyway, what could a child-king do? Not much he guess—just crying and making flower crowns… Looking at the unconscious child behind the bars, Belire felt a wave of satisfaction. Hmm…perhaps he could blackmail Ranjeel since he was the one who'd gone through all the trouble to catch the Maoh back.

Nodding to the guards, he grinned. "I want him chained up. We wouldn't want any accidents to happen, do we?"

"So you say we're just going to barge into Ranjeel's dungeon, grab Yuuri and waltz out?" Saralegui cried out, glancing at Belias then returned his attention to Adelbert who smiled and nodded.

"Precisely," Adelbert replied, looking rather smug at this so-called rescue plan.

"Seriously, someone, knock some sense into him," Saralegui rolled his eyes. Seriously, this man in front of him was a classic example of someone who's all brawns no brains…

"Do you propose a better plan?" Adelbert demanded, eyes glinting dangerously.

"Um….umm… No actually…" Saralegui replied, blushing.

"Then don't go around saying other people's plans are not good, kid. I swear you were still wearing your diapers when I am out here fending for my life."

"Well, I could bet that you certainly didn't do a good job of it…" Saralegui murmured to himself, earning a glare from Adelbert.

"I beg your pardon?"

"Nothing. Really, nothing," Saralegui replied, sighing, inwardly thinking why he was rescued by someone who was rather dense. Wait, make that very dense. As dense as a forest. Saralegui snickered at the thought.

"Why don't we sneak into the castle in the middle of the night so that we might not be catching so much attention? Then my ki-…Sara, you can use your compulsion to compel the guards to let us have the key and-"

"That's what I called a good plan, uncle!" Saralegui interrupted happily, patting Belias's back. Grinning, he almost stuck a tongue out at Adelbert. "See, get some brains before you start rambling."

"Yeah, seeing that you aren't exactly Mr Smarty Pants yourself, kid."

Saralegui had to control himself not to lunge forward to strangle his rescuer.

Darkness…dampness….Eww!

Yuuri's eyes flew open as he wrinkled his nose at the stench…Had something died down here? Wait…where's 'down here'? Looking around frantically, all Yuuri could see was black spots in his eyes. A wave of nausea flooded through him as he steadied himself, breathing in slowly and deeply. When his eyes start to get adjusted to the dark, he sat up slowly and looked around, only to find bars facing him…

Scrambling to his feet, Yuuri ran to the bars, only to find that he was restricted by the shackles on his legs that kept him from moving forward. Frustration and dread filled him as he remembered what had happened. He was captured…he was captured…for crying out loud, HE WAS CAPTURED!

"Let me out! Let me oooouuuuuttttt!"

Nothing replied him, except for the echoes of his voice through the dungeons, which was amplified a hundred times. Was this punishment for his mischief? Why was he kidnapped by those evil men? What did they want from him? He's just a poor child who wanted to make Conrad a flower crown…

Speaking of Conrad, would Conrad still be angry at him? He had wanted to make the flower crown for him as a gift for him to forgive his mischief. However, seeing the situation he had landed himself into, there would be no more present-giving time…Tears welling in his eyes, Yuuri crawled to the wall and leant against it, trying hard not to cry. Seriously, the stables were way better than the dungeons…

Wait…was it his imagination, or was the wall here particularly… soft…?

Hope seemed to have rekindled in Yuugi as he used his small fingers to dig at the walls. Satisfaction and pride grew inside Yuuri as he continued digging, seeing the walls crumbling more and more. Rubbing his eyes to get those tears out, Yuuri smiled slightly to himself. Just a few more hours and he'll be free. Just let those kidnappers wait and see how he'll make his grand escape.

Giggling at the thought of his kidnappers' shocked expression, Yuuri couldn't help but feel less afraid of the situation he was in.

"So what do you suggest we do, captain," Saralegui whispered to Adelbert.

"Shh…not so loud," Adelbert replied, shushing Saralegui with his hand.

"For god's sake, I was already whispering! Now get your smelly hand of me!" Saralegui hissed angrily as he struggled to break free from Adelbert's grab.

"Sara, quiet!" Belias who was in between the duo hissed. "The guards have heard us!"

"See, it's your fault!" Adelbert added, earning himself a smack on the head by Saralegui.

"I know you're out there! Come out!"

Saralegui, Belias and Adelbert could only stare at each other, throwing accusing glances around. Soon, a lantern came into view, and a rather petrified young man wearing the uniform of the Dai Shimaron's troop is seen.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the guard stuttered, waving his lantern at the trio.

"We are…um…special guests…invited…" Adelbert explained lamely, nudging Saralegui to give a feasible explanation.

"Yeah, don't you recognize who I am? I'm the king of Shou Shimaron," Saralegui added.

"Kings don't dress like you," the guard replied, wrinkling his nose. Well, he was right to suspect them as you wouldn't really get the chance to see a king and his companions dressed all in black, sneaking into the dungeons will you?

"Let's just say—"

"We knock him out cold," Belias said, appearing suddenly behind the guard with a log and thump it hard on his head.

The guard fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut off. Both Saralegui and Adelbert looked at Belias in amazement before they knew something was wrong… was it lighter than it was when they had first arrived? Looking around, all three of them found their answer.

"Intruders!"

Gosh, this rescue plan is seriously a damn screwed up one….

Akikee: And so it ends. Sorry for the short chapter…Well, till the next, next chapter!