Scene V
(WARNING: Every time you read "King of the Deserts", you must imagine Ryouga in armor standing atop a hill of bones and with lightning flashing behind him in order to avoid hurting his feelings. Thank you and please, enjoy your play.)
"Okay, while it is always entertaining to watch Billy doubled over the side of the ship vomiting up week-old fish, there has GOT to be something else to do!" Cordelia moaned.
Emilia smirked at her. "One would have thought that you'd be used to sea travel by now, Miss Lady Knight!"
"Oh, I am!" Cordelia waved a hand through the air airily. "Just not ones that take SEVENTEEN DAYS!"
'She has a point, there.' Emilia mentally grumped. The trip to the Deserts was taking FOREVER!
"Look on the bright side!" Emilia tried. "We're almost at the port city, and Billy just turned a really unhealthy shade of green! Uh, should we help with that . . . ?"
"Probably." The Lady Knight replied. The two girls then rushed over to mop up their vomit-covered, lime green-skinned friend.
It was sunset, and they were finally at the port city of the Deserts Region. A team of soldiers were slipping through the crowded docks to converse with the crew of Queen Anna's ship.
And Billy was really nauseous!
Seriously, all that week-old fish was a really bad idea.
"Sir." Billy jumped. It seemed the soldiers had made it to the Queen's boat. One approached him and held out a scroll.
"The King of the Deserts will meet with the illustrious Queen Anna on the morrow. He wishes for her to enjoy a good night's sleep not on rough seas." The soldier droned.
Billy nodded. "Understood. The Queen bides a goodnight to the King of the Deserts."
The soldiers bowed and started to battle their way back through the crowded docks.
Billy grinned. 'Perfect! Emmy's plan worked!'
The herald ran across the ship and down the stairs. He had to tell Emmy!
It was midnight now, and two black-clothed figures snuck out of the visiting ship and onto the docks. The two figures ran down the wet boards and made their way to the broiling, wind-churned sand dunes that made up so much of this giant forceful nation.
They were supposed to keep quiet and get to the castle of the Desert King.
One of them was completely ruining that notion.
"Billy, stop panting, for Pete's sake!" Emilia hissed, far outsprinting the herald. "We need to be quiet!"
"Can't – help – it." Billy gasped, pausing to double over and gag. "So – hot! And – too – much – fish!"
Emilia rolled her eyes and trotted back to where the wheezing Billy stood. "I get that it's hot, but it's a DESERT. What did you expect, something tropical like we have back home?"
"Yes."
Emilia slapped her forehead. "And the fish is entirely your fault! Now are you absolutely sure the king's guards will let you in?"
Billy had the nerve to look offended. "Of course they will! The king and I are old friends! Trust me. When have I ever led you wrong?"
The look in Emilia's eyes said it all.
After three more hours of hiking, thirteen pounds of sweat, and twenty-seven barrels of fish vomit, the two friends finally made it to the palace of the King of the Deserts. It was marbled sandstone and stood like a beacon against the dark skies.
An exhausted Emilia stumbled into the entryway, a lightly snoring Billy on her back. The stationed guards watched, some in shock, some with amusement, as the pale servant girl unceremoniously dumped the boy at their feet and slumped to catch her breath.
"Okay, lady." A guard spoke up. "I understand it's Choosing Day and everyone is eager to propose to the King of the Deserts, but it's past midnight! Come back tomorrow!"
Emilia glared at the guard who had spoken. "No, you imbeciles! We're from Queen Anna's ship, and this here is the supposed friend of the King of the Deserts, Todoroki, Bill! Don't you idiots have eyeballs?!"
The guards stood up straight. "We apologize, ma'am!" They muttered. An instinct told them to be respectful to this one.
"Good." Emilia straightened up. "Now, can I borrow a spear, please?"
A dozen spears were held out. Grabbing one at random, Emilia stood over the sleeping Billy. She turned the spear so that the sharp end was facing the sky and assumed a fighting stance.
"WAKE UP, WAKE UP, WAKE UP! She yelled, whacking Billy with the wooden body of the spear. The guards burst out laughing, watching the indigo-haired girl assault the boy.
"What, what?" Billy grumbled. Then he saw the spear. "WAAUUGH! EMMY, WHAT THE HECK? WHY WERE YOU HITTING ME WITH A POINTY THINGY?!"
"Because we're here!" Emilia growled. "And because I carried you halfway here, AND BECAUSE YOU FELL ASLEEP ON MY BACK!"
Billy stared at her. She walked over to the chuckling guards. "We request an audience with the King of the Deserts." Emilia said pompously.
They stared at her. One of them stepped forward. "Sorry, ma'am, but I'm afraid that won't be possible. He's supposed to be choosing his bride today, see, and he really has no time for an audience."
Emilia held up the spear.
They opened the doors.
"Come on, Billy." Emilia said. Billy stood up. The servant girl handed the spear back to the guards. "Thank you for the pointy thingy." And grabbing Billy's hand, she waltzed into the palace, dragging the confused herald behind her, and followed by twelve mystified yet equally impressed guards.
Emilia grumbled to herself, pulling Billy through the main hallway and to the throne room. 'I ought to talk to the King of the Deserts about who he hires as guards! Hmph! The nerve!'
A golden set of doors came into view as Emilia rounded the corner. They led to the throne room, if she knew her royals and golden doors. Her entourage rushed to pull the golden doors open for the two servants.
Laughter spilled out of the room as the guards opened the doors, revealing a room full of . . . girls?
Emilia stepped forward and confirmed; the throne room was full of girls. They laughed and giggled and spoke nervously to one another, but their eyes were fixed on one sight only.
Atop a gold, silver-wrought throne sat a tan, muscular figure. He had shaggy, royal blue hair, and almost indigo eyes. On his forehead sat a blindingly golden crown.
The King of the Deserts was dressed in armor as blue as the sea. He looked bored out of his mind, but perked up at the sight of the guards.
"What is it?" He called.
Emilia's estimation of the king rose up a notch.
"Your highness, we present to thee, your old friend Billy." Said herald called out, grinning like a fiend.
"Aah, Billy!" The king roared, bounding off his throne to catch Billy in a rib-cracking hug.
"How are you?" The king asked.
"Not too good." Billy gasped. "We're in trouble. My friend and I need your help."
It was at that point that the king noticed Emilia. His mouth dropped open.
"Kyk, voor my is 'n blink ster. Op die laaste, my vriend, ek het my engel woestyn gevind." He murmured, a shy blush apparent on his face.
Emilia blinked. Why had he said that? Behold, before me is a shining star. At last, my friends, I have found my desert angel. Why would he have-?
Emilia blushed. Unbelievable. Absolutely, totally, one hundred percent unbelievable.
"Greetings, my lady." The King of the Deserts smiled. He grabbed her hand and kissed it, totally ignoring the hundreds of girls that were now glaring at the pair with intent to kill. "I am the King of the Deserts."
If Emilia had not been so frightened, she would have been charmed. "I am Emilia, servant to Queen Anna." She said, flinching at the gasps from the surrounding girls.
"Guards, bring us all chairs and refreshments." The king ordered. "And escort the rest of these ladies home."
A girl stepped forward. "But sir, you were supposed to decide which girl you would marry tonight!" She batted her eyelashes at the king, who did not look amused.
"Am I not your ruler?" He growled. "I shall decide when I say it's time! Now take your leave!"
The girl humphed, but left. Everyone else followed suit. The guards brought in some chairs and a tea tray and left Emilia, Billy, and the King of the Deserts alone in the throne room.
Billy blinked. "Wait. What just happened?"
Emilia shrugged.
"Please, take a seat." The king instructed the two servants. "Can I offer you something to drink?"
He held out a cup of tea to Emilia. Billy made an offended noise.
"Thank you." She said, grasping the cup. "I hate to barge in, Your Highness-"
"Please, my dear, call me Mattias." The king smiled.
Emilia fought the urge to blush. "Mattias. We apologize for interrupting your bride search, but we need to talk to you about our ruler. Queen Anna?"
Mattias groaned. "Look, if this is about a marriage contract, then my answer is heck no! She is a full-tail diva! Besides, my heart is already claimed." A blush.
"No, this is in no ways a marriage contract." Billy hazarded, his face a crimson mess. "This is about her rule. She must be overthrown."
"And it took you this long to figure that out?" Mattias said, an eyebrow raised. "Sorry old friend, but I am afraid that if a simple coup is in order, then you will have to count me out. I have no desire to deal with her Royal Pain."
"But you don't understand." Emilia whispered. "She has an ally so powerful that we would all be wiped out."
"What?" Mattias looked shocked. "Enlighten me, please."
Emilia proceeded to explain the events that had occurred since Anna's "engagement", all they had learned since then, and their plan to take down Anna.
Mattias stared at them. "Okay, wait. Let me get this straight. There's a land at the bottom of the world, Anna's brother is ruling it, and they intend to take over the whole world and enslave all who aren't allied with them."
"Correct." Billy nodded.
"And this isn't a joke?" Mattias looked to Emilia for confirmation. She shook her head.
"Well, then. I guess we are in trouble, huh?" Mattias whispered. "I am sorry for your hardships, Miss." He grabbed Emilia's hand and gave it a small squeeze.
"Oh for the love of Pete!" Billy yelled. "Will you stop falling all over each other for one second! Mattias, are you going to help us or not?!"
"Billy!" Emilia yelled, whacking him over the head in exasperation. Mattias looked deep in thought.
"Yes. I will help you. But on one-" He was abruptly cut off when the two servants jumped up and yelled and danced, triumphant.
"But I said-" Mattias was cut off again as Billy wrapped him in a long hug. Emilia simply twirled, happiness pouring from her. Finally, something went their way!
"Thank you, Mattias! Thank you!" Emilia cried, joy running rampant through her. On an impulse, she hugged him as well and pecked his cheek.
"Um, never mind." The King of the Deserts muttered, his face a crimson red.
After a few minutes, everyone calmed down and sat back down. Billy was grinning for no reason, Emilia was out of breath from twirling, and Mattias was still red as a ruby.
"So, we need to talk to the rest of the rulers who'll be attending the ball." Emilia rasped, attempting to get back on track. "Then we should probably attend the ball itself, incognito, to gather information. Everyone else is sure to be on Yu's side. Right?"
Mattias nodded. "The Duke of Sandwich and Victoria, obviously, will not be attending. Rosalinda and Anna will. The knight king, I do not know. He might pick a side, he might remain neutral. He's the wild card, though."
"I can talk to Rosie!" Billy offered, hearts popping where his eyes should have been. "Please, please let me talk to Rosie!"
Emilia eyed him. "Okay?"
"R-rosie?" Spluttered Mattias.
"Yaaay!" Billy clapped.
"Anyway," Emilia said, sufficiently freaked out "I have a friend who is also a knight. She can reason with this knight king."
"Good. We can meet at the ball tomorrow night and listen in on Anna's conversation!" Mattias said. "Then we organize our troops to take Anna and her crazy brother down!"
"Good." Emilia said
"To saving the world." Emilia said, holding up her cup.
Billy and Mattias joined in. "To saving the world!"
Just before dawn, two horses sped through the desert, galloping at breakneck speed. Their riders were silent, both thinking of their encounter with the King of the Deserts.
Billy was buzzing with happiness. He thought things could only get better from here.
Emilia shuddered with overwhelming worry.
She only hoped Billy was, for once, right.
Disclaimer: YuGiOh! and YuGiOh! Zexal are properties of Kazuki Takahashi and Shin Yoshida, respectively. This is a work of crazy fanfiction.
Tali: And we have reached the halfway point of the story!
Drexal: Why was there no reaction from the audience?
Tali: Because next chapter, we get something a little more explosive from them.
Drexal: What is it? An emergency? A snack run?
Zexal: An intermission.
Drexal: . . .
Tali: PRAY FOR THEIR SOULS.