Ch 5 - Darling's Decision
"Thank you, Your Majesty," Tora said, bowing to King Charming. Suddenly, Darling rose from her seat, and approached Tora. "Well done, Tora," she said. "I was watching you with a piqued interest since my father took such an interest in you. It almost seems like this tournament was made for you," she said, jealously.
Drawing a sword that she had kept hidden from sight, she approached Tora. "Fight me," she said. "I want to know how strong you are if you're going to be my personal guard," she said as she raised her sword at him. Seeing that she was serious, Tora drew his sword from his sheath. "You know Princess," he said, "I only draw my sword when I acknowledge someone, whether it be their strength or their determination that touches me deep inside. I see both in you." They both rushed at each other, swords unsheathed with the ring of the blades resounding throughout the hallway as they fought each other.
At this sight, King Charming grew enraged. "Guards! Surround my daughter! And take away that blade!" he shouted. The Royal Guard surrounded her in a circle, forcefully separating Tora and Darling. The Guard raised their swords at her, Darling staring defiantly at them with her blade raised as well. "Why can't you allow me to even test my own guard?" she asked, turning towards where her father stood. "Why?" he said. "Because it is not safe for a girl, especially the princess of Ever After, to play with such a dangerous weapon," he said harshly. Upon realizing the situation at hand, Tora sympathized with Darling, and, due to his light armor and a great show of athletic ability, vaulted over the heavily-armored circle of paladins to stand back-to-back with Darling, sword raised as well. "Tora!" the King shouted. "What is the meaning of this?" "With all due respect, Your Majesty," Tora began, choosing his words carefully, "I may be your Vice-Captain, but you also appointed me to be the personal guard of your daughter. Whatever she wishes is my duty to help her, no matter what. I will stand by her decision, Sir," he ended.
The king rose, "Royal Guard, stop them!" he commanded. The Royal Guard obeyed, swords at the ready to attack Tora and Darling. Tora and Darling tensed, poised to defend the assault. The Guard rushed at them, Tora and Darling coordinating in perfect sync, parrying attacks, and fighting their way out of the circle. Seeing them escaping from the circle of guards, King Charming commanded that the graduate paladins join in the assault as well.
With both the Guard and graduates running at them, Tora turned to face them, running his hand over his blade, green energy accumulating over the length of the blade. Upon making a slashing motion, the green energy was shot at the paladins running towards them, hitting them square in the chest, knocking them back. "Impressive," Darling commented. "My turn," she said, as she ran her hand over her blade, fire enveloping her blade before slashing at the ground in front of the group. Fire sprung up in a blaze in front of the paladins, trapping them on the other side. "I learned that in Wonderland," she said. "Cool," Tora said impressed. "I learned my technique while learning under my father."
Looking at the embarrassment that was his Guard, King Charming turned to Axelson. "My bow and arrows, Axelson," he ordered. Axelson gave him his bow and a set of arrows. King Charming turned and raised the bow at Tora. "For defying me, Tora, I revoke your position of Vice-Captain. That position will go to Harkins. As for my daughter," he paused. "Your continued insolence and ignorance of my wishes leaves me no choice but to banish you from this castle," he said. Poised to strike, Tora grabbed Darling's hand and ran towards the hallway entrance. "Princess, this way," he said as they ran across the hall. King Charming proceeded to shoot three arrows at them.
Shoving Darling forward, Tora turned to parry the attack. Blocking two of them by spinning, he turned to block the third arrow, but was instead struck in the chest and fell to the ground. "Tora!" Darling screamed, running towards him as Tora removed the arrow from his chest, blood gushing out of the wound. "Princess, get away to the Academy while you can. My father will help you. I will catch up to you as soon as I finish this," he said, struggling to his feet. As he said this, King Charming raised his bow again, set to shoot. As the fire died down, the guards managed to escape and rushed toward the wounded Tora.
Darling ran at Tora's request, fleeing past the entrance, past the castle towards the Academy, crying. Tora rose, and rushed to meet the paladins. Suddenly, the King's arrows hit him, and Tora staggered back and fell once again. The Guard surrounded him when suddenly, Tora's body was enveloped by a purple mist. "Sorry," he said, "but looks like you're not going to be catching me that easily." At this, Tora disappeared from the hallway, the King's next set of arrows piercing the empty ground where he had laid.
After Tora's abrupt escape from the castle, King Charming turned towards his sons in rage. "DARING! DEXTER! You had ONE JOB! ONE!" he screamed. "You were supposed to make sure that Darling didn't do anything rash or stupid." At this, Daring and Dexter shrunk back, surprised at their father's burst of rage. "We're sorry father," they said in unison. "We didn't know that she was planning something like this," Daring said. King Charming sighed. "I requested Tora because he was Hanate's son. It seems that my old friend has raised quite the troublemaker," he said. Looking at the chaos that lay in front of him, he shouted at the Royal Guard. "What are you just standing there for? Go find them!" he commanded, as the paladins rushed to recompose themselves and they ran out the castle after Tora and Darling. King Charming sighed and sat down on his throne, rubbing his head in anxiety. "How did this event turn out so wrong," he wondered aloud as he stared at the mess that the hallway was in.